2012, Part 14

Personal Assets by Emma Holly- Béatrix Clouet's mother owned and operated the store known as Meilleurs Amis, but when her mother dies, the company is left in the hands of her lover, Phillip, the young artist and model that Béatrix loved first, and Béatrix finds solace in painting and becoming an artist, but still can't help but be attracted to Phillip. A visit by her college friend Lela gives her hope and an idea- to be an established artist on her own. But Lela has a request- to take over the New York shop and see if she can't pull it out of the tailspin it's been in, while Béatrix tends to the  rest of the company, and Phillip. As Béatrix comes into her own and discovers what she really wants out of life, Lela encounters the boss of her old flame and becomes incredibly attracted to him without knowing who he is, really. As Béatrix and Phillip become closer, Lela discovers who her new lover is. But can he be trusted with her heart and her secret? And when Phllip and Bea are outed as lovers, this may be the end of Meilleurs Amis. Can they come up with a way of saving the company that both of them love? I found this book very hot, in a physical way, it's much closer to erotica than traditional romance. But that didn't make me love it any less. In fact, I liked it better for its hotness, and it made the book a very satisfying read. Recommended.

Team Human by Justine Larbalestier and Sarah Rees Brennan- Mel lives in the Town of New Whitby, started and still mostly controlled by vampires. However, the vampires, who live in groups known as "shades", live in their areas of town, and the humans live separately, But when a new Vampire named Francis starts attending the same school as Mel and her friend Cathy, Mel instantly hates him and wonders why he is attending a human school with humans. He's likely hundreds of years older than they are, so what does he need to learn? But Cathy is entranced by the first sight of the mysterious vampire, and soon believes that he is "the One", the person she is destined for and fated to be with. But Mel doesn't want to lose her friend, and begins investigating Francis and why he wants to go to their school. Along the way, she also gets drawn into the problems of another friend, the daughter of the Principal of the School, whose father supposedly ran off with a vampire who fell in love with him. But nobody seems to think he would have done any of this. On top of it all, Mel meets a human boy who is being raised by Francis' Shade, and whose very existence calls everything she has ever believed about  vampires into question. And if she can't change Cathy's mind about becoming a vampire, will Kit change her own? I picked this book up because of the title, which riffs on the whole "Team Edward/Team Jacob" thing that that the Twilight books and movies used to sell themselves. And while Mel is a great character, she's not flawless or removed from the whole idea of romance with a non-human creature- she's actively against it, being bigoted against the whole idea. The book shows how she changes and grows from her rather knee-jerk prejudice against vampires into something more balanced, to the point where she becomes very adult about the whole thing. I enjoyed this book a lot, and it turned a lot of the tropes about vampires on their heads. Definitely worth a look if you are sick of the whole "Twilight" thing.

Live and Let Drood by Simon R. Green- When Eddie Drood returns home to his family one day to discover that they have disappeared and the family home has been destroyed, he goes a little bit crazy, thinking and knowing that he is the Last Drood and looking for who might have done this to him and those he loves. Not even Molly Metcalf, the witch and woman he loves, can bring him out of his funk. Until he realizes that while the house that had been destroyed was A Drood House, it wasn't *his* Drood House. The house must have been spirited away to another dimension and this one left behind as a decoy. After taking care of a few villains who would loot the remains of the house for profit, Eddie must ally himself with Moxxon's Mistake, a set of sentient armor created by his family long ago. The armor killed its maker, and with Ethel, the otherworldly intelligence that creates the Drood armor gone with his family, he has no choice if he wants to get his family back. But who activated Alpha Red Alpha and made his family disappear to another reality? Eddie will have to ally with the Rogue Droods to bring his family back and discover and punish whoever made it disappear in the first place. And along the way, he may just discover what really happened to his parents. But how will he take the news? I am very slowly warming to Eddie Drood. He's not my favorite of  Simon Green's heroes (that would be Hawk and Fisher, from the series of the same name and of the "Blue Moon" series, but he's  not as objectionable as he used to me. I still want to slap his face, just not as often, but he can still be a smarmy git, so YMMV on that. I liked the armor and this book definitely set up the next- I can't wait to see what really happened to his parents, and why they are still hiding after all these years. And you get smacked in the face, over and over, with who his parents are supposed to resemble. I got so tired of it by the end that when "Patrick" and "Diana" show up yet again, I rolled my eyes, and said aloud, "I get it, I get it. The Avengers. Stop beating that horse, it's dead." And yet the ultimate revelation was a surprise. Recommended.

Time Untime by Sherrilyn Kenyon- Kateri Avani is a scientist, but when she receives a stone in the mail from a colleague of hers, she knows he has found something special- because it predates humanity in the Americas. And yet, it exists, and it is covered with strange writing that no one seems to be able to interpret. So when a strange man named Cabeza shows up and demands the stone from Teri, she believes it is the stone he is seeking. Only three strange warriors show up to defend her, and she ends up with one of them, a man named Ren, in Hell and is forced to work with him and trust him to survive. The longer they are together, the more she experiences his past, and sees the kind of man he is, so that even though she has dreamt of him killing her from the time she was young, she grows to trust and care for him. But he doesn't give his own trust so easily, and he actively resists falling for  her- he trusted once before, and got kicked in the teeth for it. But Kateri is the only one who can prevent the world from ending at the end of the year. Can Ren keep her safe until she is needed, and help her restart the clock of time that is needed for the world to go on? Can he keep himself from betraying the woman he has come to love? This was an interesting book, and set up on Mayan beliefs rather than the Greek and Roman (and Atlantean) myths that the rest of the series runs on. I enjoyed it, but I was a little disappointed that the supposed betrayal that Ren had promised to save Kateri's life didn't get more time. It didn't seem to impact the story at all. I have no idea how the series is going to go on from here (or even if it will), but the problem of Nick is still around, and while Kenyon has claimed that the series might end here (I think it will just be the end of the Mayan-themed stories), it seems rather pointless to end it here. Also, Ren joins the 'Worst Childhood in the World" club, which has become quite overplayed in my book. Recommended, but not very highly. It's sort of more "same old, same old" once again.

God Save the Queen by Kate Locke- Ever since the plague came into the world, the highborn have mutated. In the cold areas of the world, they became Werewolves, while elsewhere, they became Vampires. And then there are the unfortunates- those who mutated far more wildly, becoming goblins. Most aristos can interbreed with humans, and their children, the halfies, protect the Aristos from goblins and humans both. Alexandra Vardan, known as Xandra, is a halfie who is the daughter of a British Aristo Vampire. But when her sister Drusiilla goes missing, she goes to the Goblins, all of whom know everything that is going on in the streets, for answers. And they tell her that her sister is in Bedlam for attacking one of the Aristos. But when her sister burns herself to death while in custody, Xandra knows she is still alive, because the body she is shown isn't her sister's. Who is protecting her sister, and why did she feel it was necessary to pretend to die? Xandra finds a rot running deeply through the country, through the Aristos and Halfies alike, and there are people who want to bring down the current order of the country and place something new, and possibly, hopefully better, in its place. And both sides want Xandra to join them. But when Xandra learns the truth about herself, will she be able to look beyond the lies spun by both sides and find the truth? And in the end, will she want to? I liked this book because it want beyond the "Vampires vs. Werewolves" dynamic by introducing the goblins, and making all three of them a product of the same disease/plague. Best, I loved Xandra's "voice" and it enchanted me so much that I was drawn into the novel and loved staying by her side throughout. The ending was a little shocking, but I can't wait to see what happens with Xandra in the future. This reads like the first book in a new series, and I want to find out more, like if things really change for the halfies and the goblins. Highly recommended.

Beaten, Seared and Sauced: On Becoming a Chef at the Culinary Institute of America by Jonathan Dixon- Lots of people want to make a difference in their lives and love cooking, but few people decide to go to the Culinary Institute of America  and learn from the best. Jonathan Dixon, looking for a new direction in his life after a small career in journalism, did just that. And what he learned was that the CIA is not for everyone. Your time there will change you, change the very way you look at food. And not everyone is cut out to be a Master Chef, or even a Sous-Chef in charge of their own restaurant. Even if you end up being an "also-ran" in the food world, there is a place for you. Dixon was unusual, coming to the CIA in his late 30's, and had trouble with not overthinking his food. But what he learned there was invaluable and did indeed give him a new direction in life. Just not the one he thought he was  headed towards when he first attended the CIA. I enjoyed this book for the look it gave me at what a pressure-cooker the CIA really is, and how many people just don't make it. But for those that do, it turns out chefs like nobody's business. Recommended, and it might turn you off from going to the CIA, or spur you on, if that's your interest. YMMV.

Redoubt by Mercedes Lackey- Mags is still working under his Herald-teacher, Nikolas, the King's Own Herald, who also acts as a spy. Now that Amily is safe and has had the operation that has transformed her from a cripple to someone who is on the mend, the entire student body is on the lookout for anyone who might mean her harm, and Mags is finally able to spend a little more time romancing her as he can, but he worries he isn't doing it right. Of course, he's also spending time in the pawn shop that Nikolas runs in Haven under his assumed identity, but lately, Mags has felt like something is watching him, and he is afraid that the thing that is watching him is a ghost-something he's had all too much experience with in the mine, and he's deathly afraid of ghosts- and with good reason. Even Nikolas isn't sure why Mags is so afraid, until Mags details his former experiences with ghostszt the mine. But Mags is also dealing with the fallout from Bear and Lena's relationship. They have decided to get married, because as long as Bear is single, his family, and more importantly, his father, can decide to marry him off as they will. And as Bear and Lena are very much in love, they would rather stay together. So when they marry and Bear's father finally finds out, there is an explosion that ends up with him nearly being arrested. However, shortly afterwards, Mags is kidnapped from Haven and taken to Karse, where he must find his way free if he ever wants to return to Haven and his life as a Herald. But with Demons roaming freely in Karse and his Mind Speech abilities gone, will he ever find out what his kidnappers have to do with his parents, and find a way to let Dallen know where he is? Well, I found this book less objectionable than some of the earlier ones in this series. Mags has finally learned to speak just like everyone else, or is allowed to speak like everyone else, and the end of the book has him surviving on his own in a foreign country where he literally starts with nothing. But the ending was sort of foreshadowed earlier in the book, and in a somewhat clumsy way. When Nikolas tells him that he can survive on his own because of his upbringing in the mines, I was thinking to myself, "Hel-lo Mr. Foreshadowing!" without even knowing what was going to happen later in the book. But it was enjoyable, and let us know why Valdemar never intervened on behalf of the people of Karse when they knew that there were demons in Karse. And I have to admit, it's a good reason. Now that we have more hints about Mags' family and who they were (and what his real name is), it makes me hope that Mercedes will flesh out some of the smaller Kingdoms shown in the Valdemar Companion. Highly recommended.

The Fallen: Warrior by Kristen Douglas- Tory has all her life been raised by her mother, the Contessa, who arranged for her to be trained in fighting, everything from martial arts to weapons by a personal weapons trainer. But the one thung that Tory really wanted: the freedom to travel and be herself, was denied her. Even when she fell in love with a boy named Johann and tried to run away with him, she was found and brought back. And all because she is the warrior goddess, Victoria Bellona, reborn, and is the destined bride of the Fallen Angel, Michael. In fact, all the Angels are fallen, since God crested the world and then left, leaving things to be on their own. Now, Tory is the destined Bride of Michael, but he resists caring for her. It's only after he retrieves Tory that he discovers from one of the female seers that Tory will die on her 35th birthday, in only a few days time. This gives Michael an excuse to avoid getting close to her- his heart will be ripped out if he comes to care for her, and loses her suddenly. But Tory refuses to be ignored and when Michael gives in and makes love to her, she also takes some of her blood, tying them together. So when she is kidnapped from Sheol and taken to the Dark City, better known as Heaven,  Michael will do anything to retrieve her, if not let her go. But time passes differently in the Dark City, and the danger steadily draws him closer to Tory. But when their fated battle comes, will he be able to save her from her fate? This was an interesting book, but I never really felt that Michael really connected with Tory. The love scenes were hot and all, but I just found myself not caring too much about the characters. Perhaps it's because it seemed more like a vampire book than a book about Angels, and Tory's supposed powers remain an enigma until almost right up until the end. Not recommended.

Dark Currents by Jacqueline Carey- Daisy Johanssen is a half-incubus, daughter of the Incubus Baalphegor. Raised by a loving mother, she is okay with her heritage, but she is more prone to falling victim to "The Seven Deadlies", or the Seven Deadly Sins. She also has to be careful, because if she ever asks to be empowered by her father (which he certainly wants her to do), she could end up bringing the walls down between Heaven, Hell and Esrth, leading to the end of days. In the meantime, she acts as an agent of the Goddess Hel, her sheriff on Earth. So when a drowned college kid turns up in Pemkowet, where she lives, Daisy has to find out what killed him, fast, because his parents are a big deal in a nearby town that isn't nearly so accepting of the supernatural. But the victim had a secret- he was in Pemkowet to have sex with some sort of water creature. But what? And Hel wants Daisy to find out who has it, and what it is, something that will bring Daisy closer to both the Hunky Werewolf she's had a crush on since she was little, and a new Master Ghoul in town. But Daisy will need help from both of them to succeed- but can she contain her rage long enough to bring the people responsible to justice? I rteally enjoyed this book. Daisy is fun and funny, and I liked how Hel was depicted, and the support characters who Daisy interacts with. The story was interesting, and I definitely want to see more of Daisy and Pemkowet. Highly recommended.

The Wizard Heir by Cinda Williams Chima- Seph McCauley is a wizard, young and untaught, and that is a problem for him, because his untamed powers caused accidents for everyone around him, and now he's been kicked out of school- again. Sent to the school known as Havens by his guardians,  Seph agrees to be taught by the Headmaster to gain some training, only to realize that the cost for such training is way too high. Imprisoned at the school, denied any contact with those outside, he is tormented nightly with horrendous dreams that leave him screaming, and is told that the dreams will end if he just submits. But Seph is made of stronger stuff than that, and even though the dreams take him to the very edge of sanity, Seph is able to resist and finally manages to get a message out to his attorneys, and finds a student who disagrees with what the school is doing and offers him some help and training. Rescued in the nick of time, his new guardian takes him to Trinity as a Sanctuary. But his classmates are already there, and are determined to get him back. Can Seph keep himself safe when he is kidnapped from Trinity in order to hold him over his father as a hostage? This was the second book in the "Warrior Heir/Dragon Heir Trilogy", and it was quite brutal to read. My sympathy was with Seph as he was tortured by the Headmaster and his own classmates. By the end of the book, though, I just wanted it to be over. Reading all that torture was kind of gruelling. Still, if you liked the other books, you'll enjoy this one. Recommended.

Star Wars- X-wing: Mercy Kill by Aaron Allston- Rogue Squadron has long since been disbanded, but when it seems that a High-ranking Rebel general has sold out the Alliance for gain, an ex-Rogue named Face Loran gathers together a squadron of his ex-comrades to find out the truth of the matter and take down the treacherous general. Included in the team is Piggy, now known as Professor Voort saBinring- the only super intelligent Gamorrean. Piggy doesn't want to return to service, but truth to tell, his current life is dull and boring, and he craves a bit of excitement. He's not so sure about one of his new comrades, a Yuuzhan Vong raised by a member of the Alliance, But when their leader is killed in an ambush, it will be hp to Voort/Piggy to hold the team together and make sure everything comes out okay- and to deal with the Yuuzhan Vong in their midst. I miss the old Rogue Squadron books, it's true, so I picked up this book looking to relive those old days. But despite the scattering of old comrades who show up during the story, this didn't feel like much of a Rogue Squadron book to me until about halfway through, and then the old magic came back. Despite a slow start, I loved the story and the ending. If you are looking to relive the old books, stick with this one, and it will eventually reward you. Also, some of the old characters return in flashbacks and cameos. Recommended.

Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan- Percy Jackson has been missing for months, and now we discover what happened to him and what he has been doing. Percy lost his memory, and wound up in California, where he is being chased by monsters, only to find temporary refuge in the Camp of the Roman Legion-made up of not only demigods, but the children and grandchildren of Demigods. These demigods aren't Greek, though, they are Roman, and while each of the Gods has something in common with their Greek counterpart, they are by no means the same. Percy shows up just in time to be added to the Legion, escorted in as he is by Juno, the Roman counterpart to Hera. But several things set him apart from the Roman Demigods immediately. However, when Percy turns around the Legion he is temporarily assigned to and helps them win the weekly battles theu fight against each other, some of the Legionnaires look on him more kindly, while others look on him rather less so, especially the Roman's forseer, who wants the job of leader of the Legions himself. But when he tries to rid himself of Percy by nominating him to lead a group to find the lost Golden Eagle of one of the Legions, he may have bitten off more than he can chew, because Percy isn't going to die without a fight, and he has two of the Roman Demigods on his side, one of whom is in love with Jason, the lost leader, while the other is the Son of Mars and an oriental woman who had more secrets than anyone knew. Is Percy the "Son of Neptune" spoken of in the Prophecy? And if not, who might it be? Another excellent adventure from Rick Riordan. This allows us to see what Percy has been doing while he's been missing, and why no one has heard from him. I am also looking forward to seeing what happens to Percy and all his friends, old and new, in the last book. This is a rip-roaring adventure that's fun and has plenty of suspense to keep you on the edge of your seat. I liked the revelation of who the "Son of Neptune" was because I didn't see it coming. The fact that the Gods here are different from the Gods we have come to know in the Greek Pantheon was a little strange, but I quickly adapted, much like Percy did. Highly recommended.

Uppity Women of the New World by Vicki Léon- Well-behaved women rarely get written about in history books, and that's true here where Vicki Léon writes about the women who made waves, from native women who fought against the Spaniards to Spanish women who came to the New World to make a name and a fortune for themselves, to colonial women who stood up for themselves and sometimes were severely punished for it. There is even a British Noblewoman who first discovered the practice of live vaccination and pushed for it, first with her own family, and then the royal family, and then to countries and places beyond. It's really an amazing book and an amazing look at some very interesting women that are never mentioned in the history books, even though they should be,  Highly recommended.

Fabergé and the Russian Master Goldsmiths by Gerard Hill, G. G. Smoradinova and B. L. Ulyanova is a look at the works of Carl Peter Fabergé and of the goldsmiths and other crafters who worked for him. In addition to the expected Easter Eggs made for the royal family are carvings in semiprecious and precious stone of various animals, flowers and other objects, clocks and watches, religious icons, cigarette cases and other small boxes, jewelled crowns, and samovars, tea sets and similar objects d'art. They are all quite beautiful and gorgeous, and seeing them all gave me an appreciation of what Carl Peter Fabergé and his artisans did. An excellent, attractive, if very expensive book. Recommended.

The Serpent's Shadow by Rick Riordan- It's time for the final showdown between the Kanes and the serpent Apophis. But Sadie is busy worrying about Walt, the magician she loves, and Carter's is exasperated with his sister. They are also trying to save the last writings of the magician, Setne. whose spells might be the only one which provide a hope to defeating Apophis. But when they go to Arizona to try and protect the last copy of the scroll scribed by Setne, Sadie is contacted by a spirit claimng to be her "uncle Vinny", that only he can help them- but they have to help him, first. So when the last scroll is destroyed by the agents of Apophis, they have no choice but to travel to the court of their father, Osiris, and persuade him to let Setne go while they find the spell that can imprison the shadow of Apophis, of his sheut. But even if they can find the spell, can they keep ahead of Setne's propensity for treachery and chaos? After a stunning betrayal, they are left alone in the afterlife to regroup and find that they need to imprison Apophis' sheut. Carter teams up with Ria while Sadie and Ward go to find what they need to perform the spell. But will this be Ward's last day? And even if they can banish Apophis, will they be able to save the first Nome from the attack of renegade magicians who have allied themselves wih Apophis? Well, the Kane series was... interesting, but I really didn't enjoy it as much as I do the Percy Jackson books and series. And it seems like, at the end of "The Serpent's Shadow, Rick Riordan is telling us, not so subtly, that the Kanes will eventually show up in the Percy Jackson books or vice-versa, which smacked of pandering to me, at least a little. So, while I enjoyed this trilogy, I wouldn't recommend it as readily as the Percy Jackson series. Still, not bad, and the ending promises some intriguing stuff to come for the Kanes.

Lethal Rider by Larissa Ione- Thanatos is one of the four Riders of the Apocalypse. But since the Demons have flooded through portals into our world, he and his fellow Riders have been fighting them, hoping the Demons won't be able to break the seals, known as agimorti, which would make them fight on the side of the Demons. But for the last eight months, Thanatos has been poisoned with Hellhound  venom so that he can't move. His brothers and sister riders in the Horsemen think he'll lose it when he realizes that hell is literally breaking loose on earth. But he's too busy remembering Regan, who seduced him. He thought his virginity was his Agimorti, but it turned out not to be the case, and he's angry at being taken advantage of. But he's slowly throwing the venom off and planning revenge on Regan. Once he kidnaps her from the Headquarters of the Aegis, the demon-hunting organization she works for, he realizes she is pregnant (actually, she has to tell him). And then he's caught between wanting to take care of her and wanting to kill her. Meanwhile, though. his brother, Pestilence, formerly known as Reseph, is fighting on the side of evil. Can Thanatos save his brother by reforming his Agimorti, or is it too late? And can Regan live through her remaining pregnancy and surviv e the birth of Than's child? I enjoyed this book, even though I haven't read the previous books in the series. Thanatos starts out violently angry, and has to deal with his own memories and fear of what Regan is coming to mean to him. While Regan, a warrior, has to learn to deal with the softer side of her nature, and her rejecyion by the Aegis while the world goes to Hell in a handbasket. Excellent book that really drew me in. Very enjoyable and recommended.

Lawe's Justice by Lora Leigh. Lawe Justice is a Lion Breed, an Alpha. Raised in the labs with his mother, a Native American woman who, along with her mate, was killed before his eyes, Lawe is tasked with tracking down a Rogue Breed named Gideon, who was infected with a strange disease and is seeking a woman stilen from the labs as a girl, one infected with the same disease, which may be the only chance to save him. But this woman is also being sought by the breeds, as what she was infected wth might be the only chance of saving Jonas Wyatt's daughter, infacted by the scientist Brandenmere before he died. And helping track both Gideon and the missing women is the mercenary Diana, better known as Diane Broen, the sister of Jonas' mate. But Diane is Lawe's mate, and while he's been trying to ignore their connection, he can no longer ignore her ot the reaction she stirs in him when they are forced to work together so closely. He wants her to stop her work as a mercenary and settle down, but he refuses to give up his job as a Breed Enforcer in return, while Diane can't give up being what she is and resents being asked. When the two of them return to the Reservation that Lawe once lived on, can they avoid letting their argument spill over and interfere with the hunt for Gideon, or will they tear each other apart as their mating heat turns to arguments and a traitor stalks Diane's trail. Will the two of them ever be truly comfortable with each other and their life choices, or is this mating impossible? I am actually getting kind of tired of the Breed books, or maybe it was just this one, where Lawe comes off like an Alphole for so damn much of the book. I was tired of his high-handed ways, and wanted to kick his ass several times over. It's not until near the very end that he settled down, but by then he had gotten enough of my sympathy back to redeem himself. I just had a rather jaundiced view of most of the beginning of the novel, still. This one wasn't my cup of tea so much, but it was otherwise okay. Recommended, but not highly.

2012, Part 13

Rebel Fire by Andrew Lane- Sherlock Holmes is fourteen and staying with his aunt and uncle for the summer. He is being taught to think by Amycus Crowe, an American Bounty Hunter searching for Confederate Rebels who escaped to England after the war. But he has been notified that John Wilkes Booth, the Southern Actor who shot Lincoln, is still alive and may be in England. Naturally, Sherlock wants to help him, and searches for Booth with the help of his friend, Matty Arnatt. But when he's caught by Booth and his keepers, he discovers that Booth has gone mad, and although he is able to win his way free, Matty is captured by the men and taken prisoner to prevent Crowe from following them after they escape. But neither Amycus Crowe nor Sherlock are good at taking orders, and they follow the men to Southhampton, and from there to America, along with Amycus's daughter, Virginia. Along the way it becomes clear that Booth is not the one in charge of the assassination attempt on the President, and never was. But who could wish to see the President dead, and why. Left alone with a madman, Sherlock and his friends will have to outwit the man with the real power and prevent him from seizing his next target, while staying alive all the while... I loved this book, which actually read rather like an episode of Young Indiana Jones, complete with encounters with real life people, like the Graf von Zeppelin, and the story and adventure are always exciting and entertaining. Sherlock Holmes is not the way he is later on, but still developing, and I enjoyed this story immensely. Well worth reading and extremely enjoyable. Highly recommended.

Elfhome by Wen Spencer- Tinker, transformed from a human to an elf by her husband, is still dealing with the fallout from the events of "Wolf Who Rules". So is her cousin, Oilcan, who unexpectedly finds himself looking after a young Stone Clan Elf of merely double years, i.e. less than 100, and below the age of majority. But it turns out that this orphan isn't the only one who has been coming to human Pittsburgh, and the others are missing. Unable to keep from investigating the situation, Oilcan teams up with Tinker and a Stone Clan Sekasha named Thorne Scratch to rescue the other Stone clan orphans who had been drawn to the city by members of the Stone Clan agreeing to welcome them when they arrived. But Oilcan somehow ends up taking the kids into his house, which is by no means big enough to hold them all, and must find new accomodations for all of them. He also finds himself falling into a relationship with Thorne Scratch even as Tinker becomes engaged in looking for the High Oni still living in the city- Oni who may actually be the Skin Clan who shaped the Elves into the way they are presently, and who were thrown off Elfhome by the Sekasha who were their latest and most perfect creations. But when Oilcan and Tinker's Great Grandfather ends up in the city looking for his relatives and descendants, they discover that someone in the Stone Clan has allied with the Oni, and that the half-Oni may be the be their best allies against the Full Oni. But can they get the half-Oni on their side? And can Wolf Who Rules persude the Half-Oni that allying with the elves is safer than just hiding from everyone? And when Oilcan is kidnapped by members of his own family to turn him into a Domani to rule the Stone Clan in the city, can he uncover the corruption in his own clan, and what effect, if any, will it have on his growing relationship with Thorne Scratch? And can Tinker cut off Onihida from Elfhome and destroy the twisted part of her own soul that is rising up to destroy her and all she has worked for? I enjoyed reading this book, even though I had only just finished reading "Wolf Who Rules" not long before. This one focusses a lot on Oilcan, Tinker's relative and also a descendant of the Stone Clan. But something is rotten in the Stone Clan, and Oilcan has to step up, not only as a human, but a man and (later) an elf to keep his clan in line. And even then, his life is in danger, and he has to tap into his magic to take out the one who has set the whole sick plan in motion. But who will support him, now that he's an elf? I liked reading about Oilcan and seeing the world through his eyes, not just those of Tinker, but she's still there, and brings the ending to a satisfying conclusion. Recommended.

Lothaire by Kresley Cole. Lothaire is a vampire, the Dreaded Enemy of Old, and he has been told by a soothseer that his Bride will be one that gains him a throne, and considering that he is heir to both the Dacian vampires as well as the Horde, he's happy about that. Until he realizes that his Bride is a mere human, and he doesn't feel any sort of a connection to her at all. He visits her every few years, and then finally, one night, he sees her sacrificing humans on the mountain where she lives and finally feels the conncection. His Bride is not this... human, but the Vampire Goddess who has taken over her body, Saroya the Soul Reaper. Meanwhile Ellie Peirce knows she's cursed, possessed by something that enjoys killing indiscriminately. But when a red-eyed man shows up to prevent her from killing herself, and later, to prevent the state from putting her to death, she's despairing. She wants to die, and take the thing inside her with her. And yet, she feels a connection to this man, as much as she doesn't want to. But as he spends more time with the Human Ellie, Lothaire comes to realize that she may be his Bride after all, that Saroya will never mate with him willingly, and he has promised by the Lore to kill Ellie's spirit and give her body to Saroya. How will he get out of his pledge and keep the woman promised to be his destined Bride? Ehh... I wasn't feeling Lothaire so much because he really treated Ellie like crap. By the time he realizes he's wrong about her *not* being his bride, I wanted him to go off and die and leave Ellie alone- after Saroya was kicked out of her body, of course, I don't think he did nearly enough butt kissing for Ellie to forgive him, even if she loved him, and I don't know why she fell in love with him. I can only blame Stockholm Syndrome. So by the end, I wasn't happy that they ended up together. I thought Ellie deserved better, and Lothaire still didn't deserve Ellie. Not recommended.

Avengera Academy: Second Semester by Gage, Chen, Raney, Grummet and Moline- With the destruction of the Infinite Avengers HQ, Ant-Man moved the team of young people he'd been teaching out to the old HQ of the West Coast Avengers and invited all sorts of kids with Superpowers there to learn how to be heroes. Finesse, Reptil, Hazmat, Veil and Mettle have made their peace with the Academy and settled in to being students. But when the other Avengers come, they believe that the Academy is going to be shut down. But can they convince the Avengers that the Academy is something that needs to go on? And then, when Jocasta is killed and her consciousness erased, Ant-Man can only conclude that the job was accomplished by someone inside the academy. But when Magneto and the White Queen come to discover who among the staff and students might have done the deed, Magneto and his son Quicksilver, now a teacher at the Academy, come to blows, and the Young Avengers, backed by new Students White Tiger, X-23 and Lightspeed, jump into the fray to help. But will the tension between father and son boil over into a war between the X-Men and Avengers? Next, a new student is discovered, and turns out to be a mind-manipulating alien whom Reptil allies with? But why? And why are Avengers from the future manipulating their younger selves? And finally, the Outsiders turn up at the Avengers Academy campus needing help, Ant Man and the students are glad to help. But when Ant-Man and Tigra decide to take away the two youngest Outsiders, for their own good, the young heroes take exception to them. But can a spell of understanding clear things up? I loved the Avengers after watching the recent movie, but this volume had very little to recommend it for me. One of my least favorite Avengers (Ant-Man) and a bunch of teenage characters I mostly hadn't heard of.

DC Universe- Legacies by Len Wein and a huge selection of artists retells the stories that went into the making of the DC Universe much like "Marvels" did for Marvel. Told by a man named Paul Lincoln, who grows up in Suicide Slum, until a chance encounter with the Guardian and the Sandman changes his life- but not that of his former friend, Jimmy Mahoney. As time passes, Paul witnesses Supervillains turning murderous, the Crisis on Infinite Earths, and more. As Paul grows, he becomes a cop, then a detective, and marries his old friend's sister, who is just as angry at the mobster Paul's friend became as he is. But eventually, Paul, as a cop, arrests his old friend, and they come back together when his old friend comes up for Parole. Paul Testifies for him, and his friend is finally released and becomes a security guard at S.T.A.R. Labs, only to save lives himself in an explosion and have Superman shake his hand. The story ends with the modern day universe, but the book continues with short stories about some of the Forgotten heroes of the D.C. Universe, people like the Challengers of the Unknown, the BlackHawks, The Sea Devils and Cave Carson, along with a story of the second Blue Beetle, the Seven Soldiers of Victory, a battle between King Arthur, Merlin, the Shining Knight, Silent Knight, and Etrigan the Demon against Morgain Le Fay and her demonic knights, a Reunion story of Hard Company as they remember the last day of the War and how Sgt. Rock died as well as a story of Orion and the New Gods, and Shazam telling his story, along with that of Black Adam. I liked this story, which was a bit more personal and touching than that of "Marvels", which attempted the same sort of thing. In this, there was more of a focus on Paul and his family and friends, and I found myself drawn in to the metastory that tied the different eras of the comics together. And I loved the backup stories in each volume interesting.

Club CSI: The Missing Moola by David Lewman- The Class is saving for a trip by selling Magazine subscriptions. But when $100 is missing from before the last fundraiser- the class bake sale, Ben, one of the Club CSI comes under suspicion because he's really been wanting a new tablet computer. But by following the evidence left behind- fingerprints and other evidence- they discover the real thief, who took the money to impress a girl he liked. But there's something wrong with his explanation, that leads the Club, and their teacher-advisor into a large theft ring. But can they crack the ring, or will they be hurt by the thieves? And what reward will they receive for their hard work? Another excellent volume in the series, one that takes all sorts of kids and brings them together to find the solution to the crime, even if one of their own might be blamed. Highly recommended for those who love CSI.

I Want You to Shut the F#CK Up: How the Audacity of Dopes is Ruining America by D.L. Hughley with Michael Malice- D.L. Hughley might be a comedian, but one of the things about being a comedian is that you must be able to see clearly before you can poke fun at things, and in this book, Hughley takes on his own life, how he became a comic and politics as well. He discusses why the current crop of Republican candidates were so unelectable, and why Herman Cain was such a disappointment, both as a Repulican and to blacks (Here's a hint: Republicans thing that Blacks will vote for anyone with dark skin, regardless of their politics, and Republicans are wrong on that point.) He also lays out how Republicans could win black voters to their side, if they cared. But Republicans simply don't seem to really care. He is scathing in his observations about the Republican candidates, and really points out what they are saying, and how that would make things worse, not better. My favorite criticism of his was that Herman Cain's 9=9-9 Tax plan sounded like a pizza deal, not a tax plan- and he's right. It did. Entertaining and enlightening. Recommended.

A Want So Wicked by Suzanne Young- Elise seems to be a normal seventeen year old girl, the daughter of a preacher, with a dead mother and an older sister who seems to be growing up much too fast to suit their father. He's moved them to Thistle, Arizona, hoping that he can provide a better life for them. Until the night when she wakes up in a local park, not knowing who she is. She soon remembers but problems continue with Lucy, and Elise, going to her first job at a Mexican restaurant, bonds with fellow server Abe, and is accosted first by an old, homeless man, and the local "witch" and seer. She finds that she is able to give something to these people, and the seer claims she shines very brightly. And then everything turns pear-shaped. Abe turns threatening, she meets a new boy named Harlin, and she starts finding out who and what she really is. But can she handle the knowledge? And the visions she's been having of a girl named Onnika... what significance do they have in her life, and what can she do about them? I really enjoyed the mythology of the book, which was unlike anything I've encountered before. The story was enjoyable and mysterious, and the characters were engaging and drew me right in. It's not a very long book, but the story will stay with you for a while. Recommended.

Silence by Michelle Sagara- Emma's boyfriend, Nathan, died in a car crash, and ever since, Emma has visited his grave when walking her dog at night. One nighr, however, she stumbles on Eric, a classmate of hers, also in the cemetery with a ragged woman, she starts having headaches, and ends up in the hospital, where she sees her dead father- and when she touches him, everyone can see him, too. But this puts her in danger, for the powers she has mean she is a Necromancer, with powers over the Dead, and her new classmate Eric seeks to kill her before she can become a danger to others. And soon other necromancers will come, attracted by her power, and attempt to make her one of them. But Emma isn't like the others, and she doesn't want to use the dead people she sees for power- she wants to help them move on into wherever they should be in death, be it Heaven or wherever else they go, and she'll fight anyone, even the other Necromancers, to keep the spirits of the dead safe. But when Eric comes to see her side, his own organization sends other Hunters to "help" him, and with the Necromancers gathering, the stage is set for a fight over Emma. But she just wants to save the spirit of a little boy who died in a fire, and she'll even enlist the boy's mother to help her. But can Emma keep herself safe as she fights to save the little boy? And will she end up becoming a necromancer after all? I found this an interesting read, with a new sort of supernatural heroine. I found the details of her powers and how we learn about them and what she is interesting. How she dealt with her powers also made her interesting- but is she really the first and only person to feel this way about dealing with the dead? I didn't get what made her so different in her attitudes. But this book is the first in a series, so it's very probable that we will get answers sooner or later. Recommended.

The Dark Legacy of Shannara: Wards of Faerie Fire by Terry Brooks- In Aborlon, Elven Druid Aphenglow Elessedil discovers a hint to the location of the other Elfstones that were stolen from Aborlon ages and ages ago by a Darkling boy who was in love with the Elvish Princess and wanted her to abandon her people and live with him and his. Aphenglow knows she must inform the Druids of this clue to hidden magic, but someone has found out about her discovery and tries to kill her and steal the knowledge. Aphenglow kills one of those after her and discovers that it is a human clad in black robes. Soon after, she returns to Paranor, and the Ard Rhys of the Druids awakens from Druid sleep to undertake the search for the missing elfstones, while Aphenglow returns to Aborlon to ask the Elven King to let her use the Seeking Elfstones to find the magic she is looking for. He is not inclined to let her, but his grandfather, and Aphenglow's ensures she is able to use the stones for a day, inside the borders of Aborlon. But again, she is attacked- only this time she has a protector and between the two of them, they kill five humans sent to kill Aphenglow by the new Head of the Federation: Drust Chazhul, who distrusts magic and wants to have it all under his control. He plans an attack on the Druid fortress, Paranor. But Aphenglow is hurt, her leg broken, and Khyber Elessedil, the Ard Rhys, asks her permission to see the same vision Aphenglow was granted by the Seeing Elfstones, then assembles a group to seek the missing Elfstones, among them the twins, Redden and Railing Ohmsford, who have inherited the Wishsong powers, Mirai Leah, the young woman they are both interested in, the Druids Pleysia, her daughter Oranthia, a man of visions called the Speakman, a Dwarven Druid named Seersha, and a Druid named Carrack. But when the Speakerman tells them only one will return from their quest, how can they turn back? And when their Quest takes them out of the Real World and into another, will they be able to escape? Meanwhile, Paranor comes under attack, and Aphenglow, her Druid lover Bombax, her sister Arlingphant, and the troll servants of the Druids come under attack in Paranor, and must defend the fortress from Federation troops. But the magic which protects Paranor is more than the wards which the Ilse Witch left behind. Can the two remaining Druids and their friends stay safe as the fortress rises to attack the Federation men? I enjoyed this book, which was interesting, but felt that it was a little confusing as written, and the love plot thread was set up in a way that was more than a little telegraphed, to me. Recommended.

DoOon Mode by Piers Anthony- Colene, an abused young woman, ran away from her horrid life and found the Virtual Mode, where she met Darius, the Cyng of Hlaughtar, or King of Laughter, of his own mode. He was carrying a chip that made travel for others possible in the Virtual Mode. And he also fell in love with Colene, even though he was searching for a woman to be his vessel of joy and bring amusement to his people, and Colene was a well of nothing but dolor and sadness. But their former travels in the Virtual Mode have come back to haunt them- the Emperor of the DoOon Mode, Ddwng, wants the chip for himself to conquer the nodes around them, and when he captures Colene and Darius and their traveling companions, he tries to force them, via the manufactured animal-like "Nulls", to give up the chip. But in their time on the planet Chains, Colene manages to befriend the Dragons, also nulls, but prone to eating the animal-null inhabitants of the planet, and get them to stop eating the nulls and eat rats instead. But even when Darius agrees to give Ddwng the chip, their trip home will force them to confront their deepest fears as they finally bring their traveling to an end. I hadn't read a book in this series in years, and I don't ever remember reading this one, but after a slow start focusing entirely on the nulls, this ended up being enjoyable. Even so, it felt a little rushed towards the end, and ultimately less successful than I would like. Slightly recommended, but read the rest of the series first.

The Heroes of Olympus: The Demigod Diaries by Rich Riordan- This book is a follow-up to the Demigod Files, and part of the Percy Jackson series. In it, we find out more about rhe Demigods at Camp Halfblood and we find out how Luke and Annabeth met. After a small game, we find out what happened on Percy and Annabeth's one month anniversary date (hint, it involved a giant and the Staff of Hermes, aka the Cadeuceus), and find out what happened while Percy was at the Roman DemiGod camp In Bunker 9 with Leo and Buford. Some more games, the prophecy, and the book ends with a Novella written by Rick Riordan's son, Haley, showing Lamia's son, Alabaster, and a human who investigates death and the Dead, Dr. Claymore, try to get Alabaster's half-sister Lamia to stop trying to kill him. I enjoyed this little mini-book, and I thought the story by Haley was simply amazing and very well-written. Highly recommended.

How to Pee Standing Up:Tips for Hip Chicks by Anna Skinner with Illustrations by Sara Schwartz- This book gives hip (and broke) girls tips on how to get by- spend less money, what you really need, and how to get ahead in business: dealing with bad bosses, how to request a raise, and more. But I didn't like this book much, as some of the stuff it advocates is on the shady side of legality, like buying a dress, tucking the tags in to wear it, and then returning it the next day. Not to mention, it takes money right of the pockets of the salespeople who sold it to you, and they can always tell if yo've worn it. Do it more than once, and they'll remember and despise you for it- if they didn't after the first time. Not recommended.

2012, Part 12

Born of Silence by Sherrilyn Kenyon- Darling Cruel is a member of the most hated royal family in the world, and he is the most hated of them all. But in reality, his uncle is the only one who lives up to the name, and who slew Darling's father to gain the throne. But Darling, who is known as a gay man, isn't, actually. He's just posing as one to cover up his mother's many lovers, even though this has caused him to be both hated and scorned. But he also masquerades as Kere, the second in command of the Resistance that is fighting against his uncle, while he is in disguise. He can't legally fight his uncle until he's 26, but he's found a loophole in the rules. He just needs to get the rest of his family to safety, and he will do it. But when he prepares to flee with his sister, he is captured by the same Resistance he is part of, and without his disguise, nobody recognizes him. The members of the Resistance take him and torture him, and it isn't until he is just about to be rescued by his friends, that the woman he loves, the Leader of the Resistance, discovers who he really is, when one of the men shows her a ring he tried to protect, and she recognizes it as belonging to her mother. Freed by her friends, they slaughter the Resistance, take Zarya hostage, and try to put Darling back together. But when Darling is finally free to take care of his uncle, he goes completely crazy. Can bringing Zarya back to him restore his mind and calm his rage? or will he take revenge on her, thinking that she betrayed him to the men who tortured him?And can Zarya convince him she had nothing to do with what her men did? And can her love save him from an eternity of rage and madness? I liked this series. Sherrilyn Kenyon still sort of overplays the trope of "How abused can I make this hero's past?", but plenty of abuse occurs in the present, and most of the abuse-worthy stuff occurs because the hero offers himself up as a sacrifice to protect others. I liked how he was able to hold himself back from being cruel to everyone, and that the ending showed what kind of man he truly was. I enjoyed the ending more than reading some of the torture parts, but this was a good book. Recommended.

Local Custom by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller- Er Thom yos'Galan is being commanded by his mother to marry, but he cannot forget the Terran woman who had become his lover. He agrees to marry, but asks leave to take care of something before he meets his new bride. When his brother goes to give him leave, he goes to find Anne Davis and tell her he loves her- only to find she has given birth to s aon- his son, which she has named Shan yos'Galan, in deference to him as the father. But faced with a son of his body, Er Thom must take Shan back to Liad to introduce Shan to his delm and thodelm, the heads of his clan. Unfortunately, she doesn't see it in quite his way, and the local custom that each of them expects is wildly different. Can Er Thom convince Anne he loves only her and wants to be with only her, or will his mother, who doesn't want a Terran in her family, either as Er Thom's bride or the mother of his son, contrive to end their relationship? When Anne's work as a linguist threatens her life and the life of her son, can Er Thom track her down and save her from those who would kill her to conceal the truth that she has found concerning the origins of the Liaden and Terran languages? This book was a delight to read, showing us Shan yos'Galan's parents and how they nearly didn't get married because each didn't know how to deal with or react to the local customs of the other. I loved Anne and Er Thom together, and how they finally overcame all obstacles to be with each other was simply wonderful. Er Thom's mother was such a bitch- even though she wanted the best for the family, she tried to do it in a way that ran roughshod over everyone else, because of her own frailties and problems. Excellently done and a joy to read. Highly recommended.

Commedia Della Morte by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro- Saint-Germain found the love of his life in Madelaine de Montalia, but when she became a vampire like him, he had to give her up to run her own life. Now, thanks to the French Revolution, Madelaine's life is in danger- because she was a noblewoman, no matter how well she treated her servants, the Committees of Correspondence would have her die to finish purging the nobles of the Revolution. When she is detained in her home by soldiers, she sends her current lover, Theron Heurer, to Saint Germain with a plea for help and rescue. And Saint Germain has an idea on how to rescue Madelaine, but he will need the help of his own current lover, Photine, the leader of a Commedia del Arte troupe. But her son, Enee, has become dangerously jealous of Sant-Germain, and on the long sojourn in France, his enmity rises to a dangerous head, it may endanger all their lives... I love the Saint-Germain books, and it was nice to see him go to rescue Madelaine de Montalia. It shows that Vampires don't always make good choices, and that their lovers are not always well chosen, as by the end, both have been abandoned by their human lovers, but find solace in each other. Highly recommended.

Dorchester Terrace by Anne Perry- Thomas Pitt is now the head of Special Branch, having taken over from his friend and former boss, Victor Narraway. But Aunt Vespasia Cumming-Gould has a friend whose past life may tie into a horrible plot that could endanger English-Austrian relations, and endanger her own life. Serafina Monserrat was a revolutionary when she was younger, and her own knowledge of secrets terrifies her as she moves into her twilight years, as she sometimes no longer remembers where she is or who she is talking to. But when she turns up dead of a Laudnaum overdose she couldn't possibly have taken herself, even by accident, who is responsible for her death? And what might it have to do with Austrian-English relations and the possibile assassination of the scholarly Duke Alois of Hungary, and why does Tregarron, the boss of Thomas's brother-in-Law Jack, seem so dismissive of the idea? Is it because he doesn't trust Pitt, who is new to his position, or is there a deeper, darker reason for his distrust? As plots abound, Pitt, Charlotte and Narraway must work to discover the truth, and keep England, and themselves, safe. This book was quite a bit different for the other novels in this series. In the other books, Pitt has always been sure of his place, and sure he had superiors to back him up. But now, it seems that's no longer the case- he's the head of Special Branch, and everything rests on his shoulders alone. But does he have the knowledge and expertise to solve the case? I love how this mixed family tensions with Pitt's work and how the different jobs of Pitt and Jack caused tension between Charlotte and her sister Emily, and I always love Vespasia Cumming-Gould, who is simply awesome for an old Victorian lady. Highly recommended and enjoyable.

Tiger's Voyage by Colleen Houck- Kelsey may have won Ren back from Lokesh, but he no longer remembers their love or their romance, and no matter how hard she tries to bring back his memories by making him his favorite cookies she bakes, he not only doesn't remember her, but is actively hurt by touching her. Kelsey tries not to get hurt by it, but when he tells her to forget him and starts looking for love with another girl, Kelsey is pushed right into the arms of Ren's brother, Kishan. It's only when she, Ren, Kishan, Mr. Kadam and Nilima set off on another voyage by sea to retrieve another thing for the goddess Durga to help Ren and Kishan break their curse that Ren finally regains his memories when he sees Kelsey kissing Kishan, and he tells her he was responsible for giving up his memories to try and keep her safe. But Kelsey has been too hurt by Ren, and even though she is angry with him, she is determined not to give in to love with him again. Her problem is that her love for Kishan is a safe and comfortable thing, while her love for Ren is an all-consuming fire. But as they face off against five celestial dragons to retrieve Durga's necklace, can Ren win Kelsey back or will Lokesh, who now wants Kelsey for himself, steal her away before either brother can win her completely? This was another really excellent adventure, but I found all the back and forthing with the romance subplot to be more than a little... tiring. It reminded me a lot of Twilight, and that isn't a good thing. But generally, the adventure made up for that, and I am really hoping the next book is the last. You'll enjoy meeting the various dragons, and my two favorites were the last two- the gold dragon, who controls all the wealth and riches of the world, and the crystal/white Dragon, who pretends to be fearsome, but is actually the nicest of them all. Recommended.

Wolf Who Rules by Wen Spencer- Tinker, the human girl who has been changed into an elf and married to the leader of the elven enclave near the City of Pittsburgh, is back in this book. Pittsburgh has been dragged into the Elven lands/dimension/world, and the gate is blocked because three different worlds are pressing on it simultaneously- the human world, the elven world, and the world of the Oni. Now, monsters are coming from the Oni world, including a Dragon, and endangering Pittsburgh and the humans entrapped there. The elven response is to go after all the Oni and kill them, including half-oni children which are the product of an intermarriage with humans. But a Dragon from the Elven lands has also showed up, and Tinker must deal with her new, elven sensibilities and culture, and her growing feelings for Pony, one of her guards. She feels she is being disloyal to Windwolf, her husband, for her feelings, but unbeknownst to her, Elves have quite a different conception of what guards are there for. But as Tinker continues to dream about the Wizard of Oz, and a contingent of Elves from the Stone and Fire clans descend on the area to fight back an invasion by the Oni, Tinker must reconnect with her mother, now an astronaut on the orbiting part of the gate, and find a way to bring the gate back to earth, reopen the gate to the human part of Earth, and save the Tengu, who have been enslaved by the Oni, as well as keep her husband and the entire city safe. But can she do it before the Oni Dragon, and the Oni, come through and kill them all? I liked this book. I loved the first book, Tinker, and i honestly thought it was a stand-alone book, so to see this made me squeal in glee, a little. I love how Tinker works, and I loved finding out bits about the Elves, and reading more about all the characters I read in the original book. In short, this book was practically perfect, and I loved it. The only place where it failed to be utterly perfect was... now I want to read more with these characters. Highly recommended, and utterly involving.

The Magistrates of Hell by Barbara Hambly- James Asher and his wife, Lydia, have come to Peking, China to track down the new kind of vampires with James's mentor, the vampire Hunter known as Solomon Karlebach. But they are not alone in the city, as their former vampire companion, Don Simon Ysidro is also in the city, undertaking the same task. But when a young woman is killed at a diplomatic party, the father of the Young man suspected of killing her, a former classmate of Asher, asks him to find the real killer, or at least, someone who he can blame to take the suspicion off his own son. But as Ysidro and Asher investigate the problem of the new kind of vampires, he finds that Karlebach may have deeper secrets than even James knows, and his investigations into the killing of the girl uncover a murderer hiding in the diplomatic quarter. But when Lydia is kidnapped by a criminal syndicate backed by a real vampire to protect the new vampires, because they wish to exploit them themselves, James will have to protect his wife, save Ysidro, and bring down a criminal syndicate to ensure that he is able to leave Peking with his life and reputation intact. I always love Barbara Hambly's mysteries, and I have loved James Asher ever since reading "Those Who Hunt the Night" many years ago. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, though there weren't many sympathetic characters besides James and his family. Recommended.

Point of Knives by Melissa Scott- After the events of Point of Hopes, Nicolas Rathe and Phillip Eslingen are drawn into another mystery, this involving the slaying of a man and his son both known to be pirates, within a few blocks of each other on the same night. Grandad Steen was retired from the business, being too old for it now, and his son was still a sometimes sailor. His grandson is sailing now, and due back in Astreiant at any time. But Phillip Eslingen is found standing over the body of Grandad Steen's son, and says he was there to meet the son for his employer, Hanselin Caiazzo, over a matter of some gold- ever since the events of the summer, Caiazzo has been strapped for cash, which doesn't bother Rathe one bit, but Grandad Steen's son was about to make a deal with Caiazzo to get him the gold that he needed. But it seems that Caiazzo isn't the only one who needs that gold, or thinks that it should be theirs. With the return of Grandad Steen's grandson, a woman comes out of the works, claiming to be Grandad Steen's new wife, and she has a valid marriage certificate, but his grandson never met her and doesn't know who she is, and says his grandfather wasn't looking to marry, and wouldn't remarry. But the gold is foreign, and may have some of the same powers that alchemical gold does, and may be being sought for the same reason- to bring down the government of Astreiant, either from without or within, Can Nicolas and Phillip find the parties behind the killings, bring them to justice, and find the chest of Gold that Grandad Steen hid and make it safe for the city before someone decides to kill them as well? Or will the forces of chaos prevail? I loved this book, and I loved this series, which may not continue now that Melissa scott's co-writer has passed on. But I did love this book, even though it's rather small- and much more explicit about the relationship between the two main characters. I loved the mystery, and I'd love to see more, so I hope this isn't the end of the stories about Astreiant or these two characters. Highly recommended.

Stupid American History: Tales of Stupidity, Strangeness and Mythconceptions by Leland Gregory is a series of factoids about people, places and events in American History, some of which are really, patently stupid, but most of which are simply amusing, like how Andrew Jackson never kissed a baby during his term of Presidency. When handed a baby to kiss, he handed it over to his Secretary of War. It debunks stories that aren't true (when asked about his supposed response to one of his cabinet about Ulysses S. Grant being a drunk, and President Lincoln saying if he could find out what Grant drank, he'd have a case of it delivered to ALL his generals, Lincoln said he'd never said it), and little known historical facts- During the wild west Era, Tucson Arizona had 3000 people, two doctors, a newspaper, a brewery and several saloons, but only one bathtub. As for stupidity. it's there, too, with anecdotes about how the builder of the Empire State Building wrote an article in the Ladies Home Journal called "Everyone should be rich", two months before the Stock Market crashed, setting off the great depression. I found this book to be funny and amusing and occasionally let me know something I didn't before. It's not a really deep book, but it is fun, and it's something you can read in stages, a few pages a day or so, as it's a bit of a chore to read straight through. But if you're looking for something amusing, this book has you covered. Recommended.

Brainless: The Lies and Lunacy of Ann Coulter by Joe Maguire- Ann Coulter is a well known right wing pundit who is famous for unleashing scathing attacks on the left, liberals and anyone that catches her ire. But who is she; really, and where is she coming from with her attacks? This book traces Ann's history, and the attacks she has made on everything from Planned Parenthood to 9/11 Widows (who she said were dancing on their murdered husband's graves at the thought of receiving the money they were owed) and most especially, Bill Clinton (numerous lies, almost too numerous to mention). She also has a hate on for other women (You shouldn't vote and should just stay home), Atheists and Non-Christians (you are all going to hell), Planned Parenthood (who want to promote abortions) and others. This book provides proof of when and where she made all those attacks, and why she was wrong, with extensive footnotes. Reading this book was a real eye-opener. I know a lot of conservatives swear by her, and the titles of her books certainly rub me the wrong way, as well as the jokes people use when talking about her (Ann the Man, Mann Coulter), but this was a look at what she says, and s well as being eye-opening, it's also stomach-turning. If you don't already like Ann Coulter, this book provides great information on what she says and how she gets it wrong. And if you do, you can always check out the attribution list and see if the author got it wrong for yourself. Highly recommended.

Soulless: Ann Coulter and the Right-Wing Church of Hate by Susan Estrich- In addition to her scathing attacks on other people, one of the most frequent comments about Ann Coulter is how she has lowered the level of discourse in this country by her out and out attacks, becoming the High Priestess of Hate for the nastiness and scorn she has unleashed on her opponents and those she disagrees with. This book shows Ann in all her unmitigated hatred, and while she may not have unleashed the tide of hate and nastiness in this country, she has done little to stop it or stem the tide. And how does she get away with it? Much like Sarah Palin, nobody really objects on her side because she is a woman and a lot of men seem to think she is good-looking. But sadly, looks are only on the outside, while ugly goes to the bone. And we get to see a lot of the ugly side of Ann Coulter here, and I, personally, think her looks are highly overrated. Another excellent book pointing out where Ann gets it wrong and her incredible nastiness towards anyone who disagrees with her. Even when they are correct and she is not. Another eye-opening book that shows why looks shouldn't prevail over substance. Highly recommended.

Concierge Confidential by Michael Fazio with Michael Malice- A Concierge is a service offered by high-end hotels. If you need to know where to go for dinner, the best place for steak, or need a helicopter to take you from New York City to Atlantic City for some high-stakes gambling, they are the one who can make it happen. Michael Fazio started out in the Entertainment Industry, and found he was better at getting his boss what she needed and even enjoyed making it happen. So after bailing out of the film industry and spending some time as a lounge singer on a cruise line, he got a job at the Intercontinental Hotel and became a Concierge. This book shows how he learned on the job and some of the people- good, bad and indifferent, he had to deal with during the course of the job. He also showed how he worked and how he did what he did, and how you can do it, too (well, if you have the same contacts he does). I liked this book because he showed how that service happens and what it takes to do that kind of job. This was an unusual book, and I liked it a lot. Reading it was amusing and entertaining, and showed how hard it is to do the job right. Highly recommended, and the stories in this one are the best.

Crimes of Passion: An Unblinking Look at Murderous Love by Howard Engel- This book is a look at crimes of passion committed by men and women throughout history- specifically a look at 25 different cases where love led to death, everything from Dr. Hawley Crippen to Lorena Bobbit to OJ Simpson. A look at why these murders happened and why their trials either led to a conviction or acquittal, and the changing attitudes towards crimes of passion that these outcomes showed. This book was fascinating at first, but in the end, it became kind of a slog to read, even with the trial details. More interesting was reading the outcomes and how it showed changing attitudes towards women and crimes of passion. Recommended, but it can be boring.

FairyTail Volumes 16-20 by Hiro Mashima- Back from their last mission, Lucy and Natsu worry over the Master of the Fairy Tail Guild. Thankfully, he will make it, and after the Fantasia Festival, Natsu, Lucy, Erza and Gray are sent to make contact with the members of three other guilds: Hibi, Eve, Ren and the Guildmaster, Ichiya of the Blue Pegasus guild, Lyon, Jura and Sherry of the Lamia Scale Guild, and the child, Wendy, of the Cait Shelter Guild to take out the Dark Guilds. But Wendy is not alone- she is followed by Carla, a talking Cat like Happy. The Dark Guilds are talking about something called Fantasia, and The Oracion Seis are teaming up to find it. But first, they must revive Jellal, the dark magician and former friend of Erza, who tried to destroy the world, as only he knows where Fantasia is. And only Wendy has the power to Revive him, as she can heal literally anything. And she was also rescued by Jellal, so she has a reason to bring him back. But when he is revived, he can't remember anything, except that the Fantasia is evil and must be destroyed, but the leader of the Oracion Seis sends the city that is part of Fantasia heading towards the guild of Cait Shelter. But why? What is so important about the Cait Shelter Guild, and what does that mean for Wendy? Afterwards, Wendy joins the Fairy Tail Guild, and we discover why Claudia can talk, like Happy, and who she is. But when they travel to another dimension to get the guild back, can they prevail on a world with no magic? This was an engaging arc, and I found myself glad I could read the entire thing at once, back to back. I enjoyed the story, and while it occasionally got Dragonball-esque, being able to read the entire thing in one go actually made me happier than having to spread it out over days or weeks (or even months). I like what happened with and to Jellal and the details of the Cait Shelter Guild and why it existed. The new Arc that is starting also promises to be entertaining, but I am going to wait until it's complete before reading it. Recommended.

2011, Part 3

Making Mead, Metheglin, Hippocras, Melomel, Pyment, Cyser by Bryan Acton and Peter Duncan- Mead is an alcoholic drink made primarily from fermenting honey. This book discusses the history and making of Mead in both history and today, with recipes and hints on bottling and drinking it, as well as changes to the recipe that can drastically alter the taste, Melomel adds fruit juice to the mead and Hippocras, Metheglin, Pyment and Cyser are other honey-based drinks, not distilled or fermented. The book is old, published originally in the late 50's or early 60's, but has plenty of tips and recipes to try, so if you are interested in making these sorts of drinks, this book is an invaluable companion. Highly recommended.

Vodou by Manuela Dunn Mascetti traces the origins of Vodou as a belief system, from African slaves who combined their pagan beliefs with Catholic beliefs in saints and the various great spirits, such as Ghede, Ezili, Damballa and Baron Samdi. It's a very short and tiny book but packed with information and excellently researched. Recommended.

The Book of Hard Words by David Bramwell- There's often a word for that, but it's usually little known and less used. David Bramwell digs out these words for us to see and learn, everything from Callipygean (possessing a firm pair of buttocks), Mellifluous (flowing like honey, used to describe tones of speech most usually), Coprolalia (excessive cursing) and so on. The book is divided into three sections: hard words, harder words and hardest words, with the words getting successively more obscure and less used. With pictures illustrating the original greek and latin roots of many of the words and clear, concise definitions, this is a book for Logophiles (people who love words). I loved the book, but I already knew and used most of the hard and harder words, and people who are familiar with Greek and Latin roots will be able to suss out what the words mean even if they have never heard a word in context. So if you feel like abusing pusillanimous pissants on the sly, or just want to quiet the coprolalia that is chat in most modern first person shooters, this book can help, Or, as the saying goes in the South, tell them to go to hell in such a way as to make them look forward to the trip! Highly recommended.

Word Histories and Mysteries from the editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries- Probes the histories of words, everything from "Abracadabra" (an ancient Persian incantation meant to make things disappear, like disease or trouble) to zither, which comes from the Latin Cithara and the Greek Kithara, and has connections to the modern word guitar. Not only are unusual words profiled, but so are ones like "Meat", which has its roots in mete, or "what was considered good" and forms words like Sweetmeat (candy) and Nutmeat (the edible portion of a nut). The book is not exceptionally large, but packs a lot of information into its pages, enlivened with the occasional picture. Finding out the history and meaning of such words is wonderful, and those who love language and words (like me) will find this book endlessly fascinating. Recommended.

In Too Deep: Book One of the Glasslight Trilogy by Jayne Ann Krentz- Fallon Jones is a member of the famous Jones family which is the preeminent family in the Arcane Society. Once a researcher in his family's business, Fallon took over Jones and Jones, the family detective agency, and moved its headquarters to Scargill Cove, California. There, he lives a lonely existence that suits him just fine... until Isabella Valdez shows up in town and gets a job at the agency. Isabella is used to living a nomadic existence, but recently, she stumbled on a conspiracy that left her in deep, deep trouble, with men willing to kill her. Jones and Jones is her last resort for sanctuary, and she only knows about it because of her missing grandmother, who may have been "disappeared" by the men after her. But can Fallon help her with her problems? And when she and Fallon stumble on a clock with preternormal powers hidden inside its glass, can the two of them find out who or what is behind the dangerous curiosity and keep each other safe? Or will either Isabella's pursuers or the glass artifacts bring them down? Fallon Jones was a bit of a non-starter for me. He's more antisocial and standoffish than other heroes I have liked in the past, but I loved how Isabella quickly got inside his prickly skin and made him want to be a better man, and change, for her. As for Isabella, she was pretty awesome in her own way, and I liked the reveal of who she and her family were, and the ending with her grandmother. In the end, I loved the story and by the end, I wished I could be reading more. I like the Jones and Jones stories, but I am sad that this seems to be the last one for a while. Highly recommended.

The Othello Response: Conquering Jealousy, Betrayal and Rage in Your Relationship by Doctor Kenneth C. Ruge and Barry Lenson-A normal reaction to betrayal of a relationship is anger,even rage, and, of course, sadness. But some people, either because of growing up under a parenting relationship that was betrayed, or from being betrayed themselves, have an over the top, extreme reaction. They may believe betrayal is inevitable in all relationships, that one sex is completely unable to be faithful, or so on. Some may even go on to kill a spouse they believe is being unfaithful, just like Othello did to Desdemona. And it doesn't even matter if the other is being unfaithful or not- in the perceptions of the one with the Othello response, they are, no matter what the truth is. And there is no hope of getting them to accept otherwise. But if you are tired of being locked into the same sort of relationships, you can work on your trust issues and overcome them, and this book can help you see where you need to change. I found this book both disturbing and helpful, because many of the behaviors described are almost textbook abusive behaviors right down to abusing your partner, but seeing the abuse as wholly their fault in the "Look what you made me do/look how you made me act" kind of way, which I find downright scary. Recommended.

A Hard Day's Knight: A Novel of the Nightside by Simon R, Green- John Taylor, new voice of the Authorities in Nightside, has inherited that singular sword, Excalibur, and something needs to be done with it. But when he goes to see the Knights Templar at their home in London Proper, he finds himself in the midst of a war to reclaim Excalibur and also by the elves of Queen Mab against the humans. But even with his avility to find literally anything, can John Taylor find a way to end the war and bring peace between the humans and elves, and deal with the truth of King Arthur being reborn? And can he help Arthur save the dying race of the elves before they end up killing the humans and their own brethren over a war of misplaced priorities? Is there a better way, or will this be the end of Nightside on John Taylor's watch? I liked this novel. I love the Nightside series- the novels are not too long but are packed with story and characters that are both strikingly alien and strikingly human at the same time. I liked Simon Green's playing with the whole Arthur returned and Knights of the Round Table myths, and the elves at the same time. If you have liked any of the Nightside novels, this is just another excellent one in a string of them, and if you haven't, this isn't the best place to start the series, but get reading... Highly recommended.

A Prince Among Frogs by E.D. Baker- Princess Millie, the Princess who can turn into a Dragon, and her dragon Fiance Audun, who can turn into a man, are finally engaged and looking forward to becoming married, when her younger brother is stolen from the Castle, sending the entire family searching for him, far and wide. It turns out that Prince Felix was captured by a sorceror named Olebald, and Millie and Audun and the ones they love will have to call on all their cunning and magic after they find out that Olebald turned Felix into a frog and threw him into the swamp. But even if they can recover him, Olebald has taken over the castle while they were gone and is using his magic to hold it hostage. Can Millie, Audun and the others recover Prince Felix, restore the castle, and make peace among their squabbling relatives before the big day? And can Millie's more close-minded relatives accept a Dragon into the family as a son-in-law? I really enjoyed this book, it was the final frisson of frosting on the cake in Millie and Audun's romance, and while E.D. Baker seems to not have written a sequel so far, I hope we read more about Millie and her family in years to come. Highly recommended, both as a book and a series.

World of Warcraft: The Shattering- Prelude to Cataclysm by Christie Golden- The world of Warcraft is split into many major races, but only two major factions, the Alliance, composed of the "Good" races, and the Horde, made up of what is perceived to be the "Evil" races, like Orcs, Trolls, Kobolds and so on. These two main factions have been at each others throats for years. But now something is coming that threatens them both, but can they put aside their entrenched hatred to work with each other to prevent it? As each ruler for each faction is pulled in separate paths- Thrall of the Horde is called away to Outland to discover how to heal the land and what is calling the elemental spirits away from the Shamans, leaving the younger, more impetuous Orc known as Garrosh in charge of the Horde. And Varian Wrynn's son Anduin, who is very unlike his warlike father, is sent to the Dwarves to learn from them. But as the time passes for each of them, Garrosh's missteps lead the horde closer to fracturing as a group, and Anduin is caught up in a political war among two factions of the Dwarves. And as the world comes closer to Cataclysm, can Aduin survive the Dwarven Mines as Thrall finds competition and love in Outland. Will the Horde be able to survive as a group until he returns? And can Anduin survive under the depths when even the Dwarves around him are dying? Lots of people love Warcraft, from the original strategy games to the MMORPG behemoth it has become. I have to confess, I have never actually played any of it, but read the comics and some of the manga that has been released for it, and to be honest, there is a LOT of lore associated with the game. This book was released shortly before the world was forever changed from how it had been at the start of the MMORPG, and it tells the story from multiple perspectives. A lot of it seems a little strange, like how Varian Wrynn is supposed to be the titular leader of the Alliance, the good guys, and yet, he's a jerk. Thrall, on the other hand, the leader of the "Bad" guys, comes of as a much better leader, stronger and wiser than Varian, but his idea of giving Garrosh an idea of what it's like to lead the Horde by actually letting him do so comes off as terminally misguided, even if he is a wiser and more honorable leader than the Human Varian. That being said, the book is enjoyable look at the story events behind and leading up to the cataclysm, and made me root for both sides (not Varian, though.) Recommended.

Primal by Lora Leigh, Michelle Rowen, Jory Strong, and Ava Gray explore Primal needs and characters who have a touch of animal or vampire inside them. Bleeding Heart by Michelle Rowen follows Jill, a girl whose blood can now kill vampires because of a failed experiment, and pairs her with Declan Reyes, a half-vampire Dhampir who has become her protector. Because the problem with her blood is also killing her, Jill seeks help from a scientist who says he can help her. But when the man turns up dead, can Jill and Declan escape the ensuing chaos without giving into their feelings for each other, which could kill them both? Skin and Bone by Ava Gray follows SIlas, a normal human with some very abnormal powers that set him apart from other people. But when he meets fellow agent Juneau in Ecuador, can he find love with a woman who won't judge him for what he is? Angel Claimed by Jory Strong follows Sajia, a human servant to a vampire family who is looking for Corinne, a young woman of the family who has disappeared, But when she encounters Addai, an angel, who commits the ultimate sin as they work together- falling in love with her. But can they find a way to let their love, and their lives, survive? Primal Kiss by Lora Leigh is a tale of the breeds, bred in a lab to be part human, part animal. Phillip Brandenmore, one of the architects of the Breed has done something to the adopted daughter of Breed Leader Callan Lyons. He sends Creed Raines, a wolf breed who is bodyguard to Kita Claire Engalls, to see if they can discover what Brandenmore did, both to himself, and to the child. But Breed, who wants to bring down the human monster as much as anyone, is beginning to suspect that Kita may be his mate, even if she only sees him as a thorn in her side and a chain around her ankle. But can they discover what Brandenmore did before it kills either Brandenmore or the child they all love? I only really knew the Breeds before I picked up this novel, and while I found the other stories interesting, I didn't really get sucked into their worlds as much as I did the Lora Leigh story. For some of the stories, like Angel-Claimed, did make me want to read more in that universe, but the best story in this novel was Primal Kiss, and the others I found rather more forgettable. Recommended, but not highly.

Oscar Wilde and the Vampire Murders by Gyles Brandreth- Everyone who is anyone is invited to the party given by the Duke and Duchess of Abermarle, including Oscar Wilde and his friend Arthur Conan Doyle. There is even a young actor who either believes, or is just saying, that he is a vampire. Even the Prince of Wales, Albert Edward Victor. But when the Duchess is found dead in the telephone room, two pinprick wounds in her throat with evidence of blood dripping from them, suspicion falls on the vampire actor. But with Prinny involved, the Prince asks Oscar Wilde to investigate the crime and discover the true culprit, no matter who they may be. Unfortunately for Oscar, rumors about vampires and the true murderer swirl through society, impelled by the guests at the party. But is the murderer really a vampire, or is a more human, less prosaic murderer to blame for the death of the Duchess? I really like this series. Oscar Wilde was a real person, but he was quite merry and fun to be with, and reading these books is like being introduced to him all over again every time. He's fun, he's witty, and devastatingly intelligent. Plus, he's able to see past the surface of things to the truth beneath-something that stood him in good stead as an artist and writer, and something that, in these stories, makes him an excellent sleuth. Far from being deadly serious as most sleuths are, Oscar knows how to have fun, and that makes these stories incredible to read. Highly recommended.

The Roman Mysteries: The Prophet of Ephesus by Caroline Lawrence- Flavia Gemina and her friends are in trouble. Sent to find a gemstone by the Emperor Titus, they found the stone and sent it back to him with one of his agents. But they didn't count on the agent stealing it for himself and blaming the four of them for its loss. Now wanted throughout the Roman Empire, they are stuck in Ostia, kicking their heels and waiting to be spirited out of the city. Until word comes that Flavia's nephew Popo has been kidnapped by pirates. Though she and her friends cut their teeth taking on a gang of pirates, they have resurged and made off with many young Romans. Though Flavia is becoming less and less sanguine about being a detective, she knows that she must help recover her nephew. Making their way from Ostia to Helicarnassus, they are caught up in a popular movement around a number of prophets, one of whom is from Ephesus, But when Nubia, Jonathan and Lupus find themselves becoming part of a new religion, will Flavia join them, or will she find that everything that led them to Asia Minor is a lie? I have loved this series for a long time, but this book shows it is drawing near to the end. Flavia no longer wishes to be a detective, and is getting tired of traveling around the world solving mysteries. But will she get her wish? The book ends on a cliffhanger as the detectives go after one of their own, who has been having visions that will take him back to Rome- where they are all wanted for theft...

The Roman Mysteries: The Man from Pomegranate Street by Caroline Lawrence- Jonathan has gone back to Rome to try and prevent Domitian from killing Emperor Titus. Flavia, Nubia and Lupus must sneak into the city, disguised, because there is an order of Death out on them. But it turns out that they are too late, and Titus is already dead. But did Domitian kill Titus, and how? And if he did, can Flavia and her friends uncover the truth and expose the conspiracy? More, can they finally clear their names, and what will happen to the four friends? This was a rather sad ending to the series, but the books have always been enjoyable, and I did like the actual ending- Flavia Gemina may have renounced solving mysteries, but can she really live up to that vow? And will she ever find happiness with her beloved "Floppy"? Recommended.

2012, Part 11

The Neonomicon by Alan Moore and Jacen Burrows- In a world like our own, but not quite, an FBI agent named Aldo Sax is on the trail of a bunch of killers, and a new drug that may have fueled the strangely similar murders by three separate people named Aklo. Sax tracks down Aklo, and it turns out to be a language- the language of Nyarltotep, which infects him and drives him into killing people in exactly the same way. Years later, two naive young agents named Brears and Lamper go to find out the truth, and uncover a group of cultists who are tied into a deeper, hidden world. And only one of them will come out alive. What secrets will the other uncover along the way? This graphic novel was dark and disturbing, which I suspected it would be when I first saw it and picked it up. The intersection between the ideas of H.P. Lovecraft and the modern world (not our own, especially with references to holidays like Farrakhan Day) is chilling and yet leaves the reader in a sort of horrible wonder by the end of the story. Excellent story, excellent art. It will leave you uncomfortable, and yet, that's the idea. Highly recommended.

Crystal Gardens by Amanda Quick- Evangeline Ames has come to the village of Little Dixby to rest and to work on the sensation novel she wishes to write. A Private Inquiry agent who often masquerades as a lady's companion, she was recently involved in a case where she was nearly killed by a fortune hunter she exposed. But when a man breaks into her rented cottage determined to kill her, she has no idea of who would want her dead or why. Fleeing, she seeks refuge in the paranormally powerful grounds of the Crystal Gardens, owned by Lucas Sebastian, who quickly realizes why she is there and keeps her safe. But as the cottage she is renting is on his land, he feels determined to keep her safe, while exploring the grounds of his former Uncle's estate and discovering who murdered him. He urges Evangeline to move into the Manor with him, and brings his aunt to be her chaperone to protect her reputation. But with her comes Lucas's sister, Beth, and a host of problems around the man Beth wants to marry, who her mother is flatly denying her hand. And then there is the reputed treasure of Roman gold that supposedly lies on the grounds of the estate- perhaps within the psychically dangerous Night Garden itself, or in the hot spring that feeds the garden much of its paranormal power. But as forces both near and far conspire against them, Evangeline and Lucas find themselves not so inexplicably drawn to each other by both lust and love. But can they survive against the people trying to kill and hurt them both? I loved this book. It's not tied to either the Arcane Society books nor the more recent series that began with Copper Beach, but contains similar types of paranormal powers. I noticed Lucas had what would be called the "Hunter Talent" in the Arcane Society books, whereas Evangeline's talent was more like the Amber Resonance powers of Amber tuners-only without the Amber. and while I felt "Copper Sands" was like the Arcane Society books with the serial numbers filed off, this book I found better as a stand-alone novel while incorporating paranormal psychic powers. Highly recommended, and Evie's two friends are also highly sequel-baited.

Investigating the Paranormal by Joe Nickell- A Former investigative reporter, Joe Nickell is also a member of CSICOP, the Committee for Scientific Investigations of Claims of the Paranormal. In this book, he shares the results of his own investigations of everything from ghosts to religious miracles like crying icons, idols which drink milk, the incorruptible bodies of saints, poltergeists, phenomena like Spontaneous human combustion, U.F.O.'s, spiritualism and photos of ghosts and spirits, as well as things like Auras and Kirlian Photography- and debunks them all, as well as showing how and why these things aren't true. So, if you are invested in believing in these things being true, but believe in science showing the truth, this book is going to dash those beliefs. If you don't accept science, you can still deny the truth, but those who accept that science and investigation will get the most out of the book. Highly recommended.

Archangel's Blade by Nalini Singh- Dmitri is the second to the Angel Rafael. When a dead body turns up in a busy intersection in New York, it's up to him to find out who killed the man, as Rafael is with his love, the former Hunter and newly born Angel Elena in China meeting the Archangel Lijuan. But a tattoo on the body concerns him, because it's the sigil of a female angel who turned him into a vampire, and killed his wife and children, then forced him to serve her, until he was able to turn the tables on her and end up killing her and tearing her to pieces. But to catch the perpetrators, he will need the help of the Hunter Honor, who comes to the case with baggage of her own- after an attack on her by vampires, she was kidnapped and tortured, her blood drunk as she was raped and abused. Rescued, she has only recently recovered from her experience, but the cracks in her confidence are still there, just barely papered over. But Dmitri finds himself unusually incensed by the attack on Honor and wants to help her find the vampires who attacked her and get vengeance on them. Why, after so many years, is he attracted to a woman who is not his wife, and can Honor overcome her trauma to trust him and help him discover who is tormenting Dmitri with the sigil of his maker's sigil? And why are both Honor and Dmitri dreaming of his earlier life, and what is that strange connection that they share? Is it just one of justice and revenge, or is it something else? Dmitri is such a cold character in the earlier books in this series, that it was nice to see he had some heat beneath the coldness, but that coldness and sort of deliberation that are at the core of him can also be a sort of passion- and that Honor somehow appeals to him not only as the man he was, but the man he is now. And Honor is equally strong character, living and choosing to live after being so brutalized, but to still be able to show gentleness and emotion rather than cutting herself off from life, was wonderful. I felt the ending and the nature of their connection was a bit, "Oh, come on!", but the story itself was something I completely loved. Highly recommended except for that one ending quibble.

Alice in the Country of Hearts, Volume 1 by QuinRose and Soumei Hoshino- Alice is having tea with her sister in the garden and falls asleep, dreaming of a cute little waistcoated rabbit with a pocketwatch claiming that he is going to be late. But when her sister wakes her, telling her she sleeps too much, Alice experiences a moment of envy and regret. Everyone loves her sister, even the men Alice is interested in. Wouldn't it be nice if there was a place where Alice was wanted as much as her sister? Alice decides to nap some more as she is still tired, but is abruptly grabbed by a man with rabbit ears, who runs off with her and jumps into a hole in the ground with her. Afterwards, sick and dizzy from the experience, he tries to get her to take "medicine", but she refuses, so he takes it and forces a kiss on her, flooding her mouth with the liquid, which she inadvertantly swallows. Then the rabbit-eared man, Peter White, is happy, as it means she cannot leave this Kingdom, the Kingdom of Hearts, until she refills the vial by interacting with the people who live there. And in that time, he can try to win her heart. But Peter isn't the only inhabitant of this strange land. There is also Blood, known as the Mad Hatter, and his servants, including the March Hare, and the twins Dee and Dum; Vivaldi, the Queen of the Castle, where Peter is her majordomo and Ace serves as her knight. She is also served by the King and the cards. Gowland runs the amusement park and has his own set of faceless servants, as well as Boris, who is part cat. All these people are locked in combat against each other, ready and willing to kill ruthlessly- and all of them have strong feelings of love for Alice. Some more romantic, and some more sisterly. But Alice can't wait to get out of there and get back to her sister, so she takes refuge with Julius in his Clock Tower. But can even he keep Alice safe when her many admirers and suitors seem willing to kill each other messily to win Alice for their own? And what is really going on in the Country of Hearts? Why was she brought here, and what does the Demon Nightmare have to do with it? And as Alice becomes closer to the inhabitants the longer she stays, will she still choose to go home when the time is done? This book makes about as much sense as the original Alice tales do, and while the characters tend to be very different. Blood is the leader of the Hatters, but not the same as the Mad Hatter in the original book, and his companion Elliott, the March Hare, is also very unlike the original March Hare. Some of the characters have seemingly no connection to any of the book characters, like Julius and Gowland, and the conflict between the groups is now a gang fight.. It's amusing, but while a lot happens, there isn't much of real substance, and the volume is so long that it seems like a slog to get through it. Recommended only if you have a high resistance to reading without knowing what the heck is going on and are willing to wait... and wait... and wait... for some kind of answers.

Alice in the Country of Hearts, Volume 2 by QuinRose and Soumei Hoshino- Alice continues to interact with the inhabitants of the Country of Hearts, and has become friends with most of them. But while Blood of the Hatters is willing to lend her books from his huge library, he also accuses her of being a horrible flirt, spreading her affections around while keeping them all on a string, and threatens to kill her, then ends up strangling her, which Alice doesn't like at all. And he isn't the only one with troubling new problems. Ace, too, exhibits a more bloodthirsty and violent mindset and kills several people right in front of Alice, leaving them both spattered with blood and her nearly catatonic. Boris finds her and brings her back to herself, but when he goes off to confront Ace about what he has done, Ace nearly kills him as well, and Alice finds herself acting as his nurse. But when Ace shows off to finish the job and kill Alice like he told Boris he was going to, can Alice talk him out of killing them both, or will this be the end for the both of them? I found this volume to be better in story, but still very disjointed, and the ending both comes out of nowhere and is not continued in the third volume. it seems like the editors dropped the ball here when it came to that part of the story, as I doubt it ended so abruptly in the original manga volumes. I found it not all that satisfying to read, and while the art is lovely and the guys are super cute, I just feel like I ate cotton candy- an astonishingly sweet taste on the tongue, but nothing in the belly afterwards, and feeling slightly sick that I ate the whole thing. Not recommended.

Alice in the Country of Hearts, Volume 3 by QuinRose and Soumei Hoshino- Alice's time in this world is fast approaching its end, and while she has managed to make some kind of peace with Blood, it seems like everyone else wants her to choose them and stay with him, Blood just doesn't care. But Alice is determined- she misses her sister terribly and only wants to go home and be with her again. And while she says goodbye to Vivaldi and Julius, Peter begs her to stay with him one more time, but she can't forget that he was the one who kidnapped her in the first place and forced her to stay here. But when the time finally comes to make the choice, will Alice be able to go through with her plan to leave, or will the choice be made for her? And what has really happened to her sister back at home? Will she be missing Alice forever? Unfortunately for readers, the answers of what has happened to the people who Alice loved and left behind is never really answered, making the ending of the series feel especially disappointing for me. I also really disliked the ending, as it mirrored the beginning of the story so closely- but I can't reveal it without spoiling the story for everyone. To me, the ending seemed non-sensical and like nothing had really changed, and after all the non-events of the series, I felt that was anathema. Not recommended, unless you like looking at pretty boys irrespective of story. The story isn't much there, and to have such a non-ending ending just made me want to slap someone or something. Not recommended at all, except as eyecandy.

The Earl and the Fairy, Volume 2 by Ayuko and Mizue Tani- The first volume of this series set things up pretty well, with Lydia Carlton being a fairy Doctor, someone who helps humans and fairies be able to live together. But when she is kidnapped on her way to London to meet her father, she is rescued by Edgar Ashenbert, a young man who claims to be the heir to the Half Fairy Blue Knight Earl. However, he must find the sword belonging to the Blue Knight Earl to actually claim the title, and he really has no connection to the BK Earl, so he needs Lydia's help to find the sword. His tale that he is an escaped slave seeking to gain a place so that he and the friends he helped rescue can never be enslaved again strike a chord in Lydia, and she agrees to help him. Now, near the home of the Blue Knight Earl, the island of Manan, Edgar and Lydia must decipher a riddle to find where the sword is hidden. But the Merrows of the island may need a sacrifice of blood to give up the sword, and Edgar's enemies tell her that Edgar plans for Lydia being the sacrifice. Can Lydia discover the truth, and find the sword from where it was hidden years ago? And once she does, will her strange adventure finally be over? Reading this as I did after Alice in the Country of Hearts, I was almost fooled into thinking that the end of this volume was the end of the series, but that isn't the case. The story will go on, and this is good, because otherwise, it would have been a non-ending ending. We finally get to see Lydia's father in this volume, and while he's a researcher, he seems woefully unprepared to have a daughter. I enjoyed Lydia's interactions with the various fairies, although her faerie cat companion Nico seems to have more conversations with them than she does. I do wonder where the relationship between Edgar and Lydia will go from here, and if he really does feel something for her, or he is cynically saying so to use her and her abilities. Recommended, but the ending is a little bit deceptive.

Black Dawn by Rachel Caine- Morganville is facing the worst time yet. The Draug have taken over the town, saturating the area with rain and luring vampires and humans both into their nests, where the Draug can feed at their leisure. Amelie, the town's founder, has been bitten by the Draug leader and may be dying. The vampires of Morganville have mostly abandoned the town, but a few people are still ready, willing and able to fight, like Claire Danvers, her boyfriend Shane, and their roommates, Vampire Michael Glass and his bride to be, Eve. And with them will stand Myrnin, Claire's half-mad vampire mentor in the arts of alchemy and magic, Oliver, Amelie's sometime foe and now second in command, and some of the humans who hate vampires, because they realize how much worse things could be with the Draug in charge. But as Amelie struggles not to give in to the transformation to Draug, Eve and Michael must deal with the aftermath of his imprisonment and near-death by the Draug- his attack and near-killing of her, which has left her feeling afraid of him. Shane, too, is nearly killed by the Draug, leaving him feeling as if nothing he experiences is real. But a last ditch effort reveals a way the Draug can be killed, and an unexpected ally turned opponent must be trusted to lead the attack on the Draug strongholds. But as human and vampire fight their monstrous opponents, and humans and vampires fall in battle, will winning have any meaning if and when they win, and can winning, even for both sides of Morganville, mean an end to everything they have learned or taken for granted about Morganville? Can they live with the changes their actions might bring about? I had the idea that this was either the last Morganville book or the second to last, but now I hear there will be three more books before the series ends, and that's actually all to the good, because the ending of this one had so many changes and things that had happened, both good and bad, that the changes will take a good, long while to iron out. Suffice to say, that while there is some good stuff, a lot more bad stuff goes on, and the changes to Morganville will be considerable, and it doesn't look good for Claire and her friends. The book kept me on the edge of my seat throughout, and I am wondering what will happen to ClaireBear and her friends. Highly recommended.

The Unofficial Game of Thrones Cookbook by Alan Kistler- takes names of various foods mentioned in the Game of Thrones saga and attempts to provide recipies to various meals and foods mentioned in the story. Some of these, you can tell what recipes they came from, things like Guacamole or various salads. But others, unless you live in an area where hunting is both allowed and common, are going to be new to you. Elk, Venison, Wild Boar, Swan... And then there are ones that can be farmed, like Bison/Buffalo, quail or Goat. On the other hand, at least one of the "recipes", I wouldn't call a recipe at all, for corn on the cob with butter. Does anyone really need a "recipe" for how to cook that? Shuck corn ears, boil in water, let butter melt on hot, drained ears? I think something needs to have more than two ingredients, corn and butter, to be called a recipe. Though I guess there are some people who have never made their own hot corn on the cob. Most of the recipes are good, but unless you live in an area where people do a lot of hunting and are willing to eat animals seen as more decorative than food (Swans, mainly), you will never cook or brew them all. If you are willing to substitute, you can make your own "Game of Thrones" inspired meal, but be aware this is more like "Put on a show" food than something you are likely to prepare yourself, at least some of the time. Recommended.

Conflict of Honors by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller- Priscilla Delacroix was outcast from her planet by her mother at sixteen and forced to survive on her own in space. Now, as cargo master on the Liaden ship Daxflan, having worked her way up from cook's assistant, she is sure her ship's Trader, Sav Rid Olanek, is shipping illegal pharmaceuticals. Serving on a Liaden ship as a Terran, she and the other Terrans are treated as second class citizens, so perhaps it isn't so strange when her shipmates push her into a broken storage compartment and leave her for dead on a world called Janaklin. but it rankles. And when her only recourse is to try tp get passage on another ship that will end up an another world where the Daxflan is headed, she finds her only option is yet another Liaden ship, the Dutiful Passage, captained by Shan yos'Galan. But can she trust this Liaden Captain and Master Trader to employ her honestly and do right by her? As Priscilla travels with the ship under her common use name of Priscilla Mendoza, she finds herself struck by how honestly and rightly this particular ship is run, and finds all her old skills coming to the fore as her pursuit of her shipmates and higher status for herself bring both her and Shan yos'Galan into conflict with the Daxflan and its master. But when things turn deadly, can she keep Shan, her shipmates and the Dutiful Passage out of harm's way, or will the conflict engulf them all? And can Shan, who has come to love and esteem the lovely Priscilla, discover her true name and worth and love and esteem her as she deserves to be? I loved this book, which takes place in the same universe as the Liaden books "Agent of Change", "Carpe Diem" and "Plan B", and introduces Priscilla and Shan yos'Galan to the world. This book came out second or third in the series, in strict chronological order, but the story can stand on its own quite well. In fact, this is another book I found myself sucked into whole and entire before even the first chapter had ended, and similar to the other books, it grabs you and doesn't let you go until the book is done. I loved this book, and I loved this series. The characters are a delight, and so is the universe and world-building, which are done with a minimum of words and yet convey so much. Highly recommended. This is a series to look out for, and if you haven't read it already, you should.