Novels Now

Dandelion Fire by N.D. Wilson
100 Cupboards, Book 2

Pages: 466
First Published: Feb. 24, 2009
Genre: children’s fantasy
Rating: 4.5/5

First sentence:

Kansas is not easily impressed.

Comments: In the previous book Henry finds out a secret about himself and now with only two weeks left before his parents come to take him home from visiting his uncle and cousins, Henry decides to enter the cupboards again and find the truth. His cousin Henrietta finds out and is annoyed at not being included so she secretly follows behind him. Henry is kidnapped almost immediately and Henrietta soon finds herself in similar circumstances only with different kidnappers.

The evil witch who is now roaming free is taking over the world with her power of death that kills every living thing that touches the ground. Henry is one of her prime targets. Once Henry finds out his truths the battle to stop evil is well underway.

Full of magical powers, witches, wizards and strange creatures Dandelion Fire is a fantastic read. Much longer than the first book and also oh so much more intricate a plot. A marvelous book that I couldn’t put down. The premise of the 100 cupboards and the worlds behind them is extremely unique. I also like that Henry, while not parent-less though discarded by his parents, is part of a loving family with adults who play an integral part of the story. The orphan theme has been done to death and ND Wilson has not fallen into that trap.

A page-turner recommended for ages 9-12 that any fantasy buff is going to be thrilled with. The ending is very complete and it leaves me to wonder whether this will be a trilogy (as I had assumed for some reason) or not. While the story has all been wrapped up I can’t help but want to meet these characters again and explore more of the worlds hidden behind the 100 cupboards.

The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling
A companion to the Harry Potter series

Pages: 109
First Published: Dec. 2008
Genre: YA, fantasy
Rating: 3.5/5

First sentence:

The Tales of Beedle the Bard is a collection of stories written for young wizards and witches.

Comments: A very short collection of five short fairy tales that are a part of the Harry Potter universe. They have no connection to Harry Potter except that these tales would have been told to children in his world as the first sentence indicates. The stories are cute, nothing spectacular, but certainly cute and well-worth a read for Potter fans. The best part of the book is that each tale is followed by a Commentary chapter by Professor Dumbledore. These are probably more interesting that the tales themselves. My favourite of the tales was The Warlock’s Hairy Heart, probably because it stood apart from the others because it is dark and gruesome while the others are light-hearted.

Overall, a cute little book, nothing terribly special, but certainly a fun read for fans. Younger children will appreciate the fairy tales while older children/teens will be more inclined to appreciate the Dumbledore commentary. If you are a Harry Potter fan, you won’t regret the hour or so it takes to read the book.

Bones of Faerie by Janni Lee Simner

Pages: 247
First Published: Jan. 27, 2009
Genre: YA, fantasy
Rating: 5/5

First sentence:

I had a sister once.

Comments: Set in a post-apocalyptic world, Liza’s town is very secluded and doesn’t welcome strangers. References are made about Before when there were such things as TV and airplanes but there has been a war; a war which involved our world and the world of the Faerie. These two worlds are somehow connected to each other and the war caused great destruction on both sides. Liza’s town is opposed to magic and they are taught how bad magic is. They know no different as the trees reach out to kill them and they fight to stay alive. They also make sure no magic is brought into their village even when it is born there. New born babes who show tell tale signs of magic are left on a far away hill to perish.

Liza’s sister is born with faerie hair and after her father takes the baby, her mother disappears and Liza soon discovers she is having visions and must go find her mother. A friend, Matthew, joins her and she soon discovers his secret as well. They have a lot to learn about themselves, the world around them and the War with the Faerie.

This was a beautifully written, page-turning and thought provoking story. I really, really enjoyed it. The post apocalypse/magic angle is unique and makes for an intriguing story. Liza is a spirited, strong female lead and the characters are well-developed given the short length of the novel. A refreshing read that fantasy fans are sure to enjoy!

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Illustrated by Dave McKean

Pages: 309
First Published: Sept. 30, 2008
Genre: children, fantasy
Award: Newbery Medal 2009
Rating: 4.5/5

First sentence:

“There was a hand in the darkness, and it held a knife.”

Comments: After his family is killed a baby escapes by wandering out the open door and making his way to the graveyard. A married ghostly couple adopt him and name him Nobody Owens, Bod for short. Nobody then commences to grow up in the graveyard and can see and talk with all the ghosts of those buried there. In fact, he himself is not quite in the land of the living but somewhere between the life and death. He must stay here in the graveyard until he is old enough to look after himself on the outside as the man who killed his family is still looking for him and will continue until his job is completed.

I really enjoyed this book. Finally a 21st century Newbery winner I can rave about and recommend. The story and the characters are just wonderful. I really enjoyed the premise. It reminded me a bit, at first, of Terry Pratchett’s Johnny and the Dead even though the plot’s are completely different. Even though I don’t believe in ghosts and my religion tells me differently what will happen in the afterlife, it still is so much fun to imagine a world of ghosts. To imagine graveyards are full of the people buried there talking to each other. The book is really well written, fun and exciting. I think this is the type of book that will appeal to pretty much anyone, even those who don’t like fantasy as a rule. Finally a Newbery winner that *will* be enjoyed through the ages!

My only reason for not giving a full rating of 5 is that I really did not like the illustrations at all. They were dark, hard to see the details and I thought the faces were horrible. They definitely did not enhance the reading experience at all. From looking at covers at LibraryThing I see there is an edition with illustrations by Chris Riddell. Now that is someone whose art I appreciate and I’d love to have a look at those illustrations.

The Prism Blade by Patricia Bow
Passage to Mythrin, Book 2

Pages: 267
Finished: Dec. 10, 2008
First Published: May, 2008
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Rating: 4.5/5
Reason for Reading: Received a Review Copy from Chapters Top Reviewers Club.

First sentence: Long, long ago, in the springtime of the world, Adam was the first man.

Comments: The second volume of this wonderful YA series is just as good as the first one. This time around, two visitors from Mythrin come through the passage to Ammy and Simon’s earth looking for a mythical sword. But which of the visitors is on the good side and which is on the bad side? Simon and Ammy have differing opinions and don’t always work together to help their respective friends from the other world. That is until a third visitor passes through and everyone concerned realizes that he is really working on the side of evil.

A fun fantasy romp that was pure enjoyment. A complete contrast to the first volume which is mostly set in Mythrin this one is mostly set in our world though plenty enough happens in Mythrin as well. Mystical beasts and objects are always fun to read and while this book does contain a quest, it is not your typical journey type of quest making it rather unique. Really a whole lot of fun with engaging characters, well-written and a page-turner. Suitable for ages 8 and up, I still think it will appeal to teenage audiences as well as this 40 year old reviewer. I’m certainly looking forward to the third book (possibly the last in a trilogy?) which hopefully is in the works for 2009.

The caw! caw! cawing! of one stupid crow kept me up all night. (Well, more accurately all day — ’cause , you know, I’m a vampyre fledgling and we have that whole issue of day and night being turned around.) Anyway, I got zero sleep last night/day. But my crappy nonsleep is currently the easiest thing to deal with since life really sucks when your friends are pissed at you. I should know. I’m Zoey Redbird, currently the undisputed Queen of Making My Friends Pissed Land.

Zoey isn’t having the best of weeks. All her friends are mad at her. They felt betrayed by the fact that Zoey was keeping secrets from them. They just didn’t understand she was trying to keep them safe. She didn’t have a boyfriend anymore. Last week, she had 3! But Loren Blake, the adult Vampyre Poet Laureate, seduced Zoey into thinking he was in love with her. Neferet, the evil High Priestess, had set up Zoey. And when she was with Loren, the imprint she had with her human boyfriend, Heath, was broken. In addition, Erik Night, the gorgeous fledgling that had just made his transformation to adult Vamp, walked in on them. Heath isn’t speaking to Zoey and now, neither is Erik. This was all before Loren was killed in a bizarre ritual that was causing Neferet to wage a war against the humans. So, yes. Zoey’s life sucks alot right now.

In addition to all that stress, Zoey is also dealing with the Stevie Rae/Aphrodite issue. By casting her circle for Stevie Rae, she is no longer undead, but has transformed into some kind of other vampyre. Her mark is now colored in just like the adult vamps, but it is red. But with Stevie Rae gaining her humanity back, it caused Aphrodite to lose her mark. Now she is no longer a vampyre, although only Zoey and Stevie Rae know. But she is still having visions. And now her visions include Zoey’s death and an all out war between the vampyres and the humans. And it looks like it is up to Zoey to stop it.

Book 4 starts a few days after Book 3 ended. And it is way darker and more sinister than any of the preceding books. Zoey is way less whiny in this book. And it looks like she is stepping up her game. It’s going to come down to a battle between good vs. evil, and Zoey is finally becoming the Priestess she was chosen to be. She has firmly taken control of who she is, and gathering around her those that want to fight the evil that has come to the House of Night.

PC and Kristin have certainly brought their A-game with Untamed. They wrote an excellent novel, which was an extremely fast read for me, because I just couldn’t put it down! The series just keeps getting better and better. And I can’t wait to see how things shake out in the next installment!!

4.5/5

WARNING: There may be spoilers of previous books, especially Betrayed in this review. If you haven’t read it yet, you might want to skip to the last 2 paragraphs!!

“Yep, I have a seriously sucky birthday,” I told my cat, Nala. And Zoey Redbird couldn’t be more accurate with that statement!! First of all her birthday is December 24th, and everyone always gets her Christmas themed birthday presents. Her mother has basically given up on her. Her step-loser (uh, step-father) is an elder in the People of Faith church. They believe that all Vampyres are evil, and now some not-so-veiled threats have been received. Her best friend, Stevie Rae, “died” at the last Full Moon Ritual. But I guess you have to use that term loosely. When a fledgling is “marked”, the change process to become an adult Vampyre begins. Not all fledglings survive the change because their bodies reject it. Some die. But Stevie Rae’s death was actually another type of change. Because now she has become “undead”, almost a caricature of what people believe vampires to be: full of bloodlust, only can move at night, and rather evil. But at least in Stevie Rae’s case, a small part of her humanity is still present and Z wants to help her.

Then there’s the fact that she has 3 boyfriends. The wonderful Erik Night, who is an upperclassman at the House of Night and a total catch. Her human ex-boyfriend, Heath who doesn’t really want to be an ex. Ever since Zoey drank a little of his blood, they Imprinted and Heath just can’t leave Zoey alone. And then there is Loren Blake, the Vampyre poet Laureate. He’s gorgeous, sensitive, an adult Vampyre and a teacher to boot. Completely off-limit to students, but he really has a thing for Z.

Finally, there is Neferet, the High Priestess at the House of Night. She was Zoey’s mentor and friend, until she betrayed her. Zoey knows she has something to do with the Undead fledglings and Stevie Rae. Zoey knows in her heart that Neferet represents something evil, but she doesn’t know what to do about it. She can’t even discuss it with her friends. Since Neferet has the ability to read minds, the little her friends know, the safer they will be. Zoey feels awful about lying to them, but she really is doing it for her own good. Then there is Aphrodite….Zoey’s sworn enemy. When Zoey took over control of the Dark Daughters from Aphrodite, Neferet told everyone that the Goddess Nyx had withdrawn Aphrodite’s powers to see the future. But that wasn’t true. And since Neferet was unable to read Aphrodite, she turns out to be the one person who can really help her navigate her way through the mess her life has become!

When Zoey and Aphrodite stumble across the body of one the adult vampyre professors, it’s almost a certainly that something bad is on the horizon. A war between the humans and the vampyres is coming and Zoey is trapped smack dab in the middle.

Can I just say now how much I really LOVE this series?? With that said, I really hated the ending of this book. I do realize Chosen ended in a way that will lead us to the next book. Zoey is a wonderful character: she is strong, smart and vulnerable at the same time. When she makes mistakes, she tries to own up to them and that makes her something special. She has been blessed by Nyx with an affinity for ALL the elements AND the spirit. Again, that is something that has never happened before. She is definitely a High Priestess in training. She just needs to figure out who she can really trust and find a way to do something about all the drama that has become her life!

This book was fantastic, even with the ending that I didn’t like. Doesn’t make it a bad book. Just leaves me on pins and needles until the next book is out. And I can’t WAIT until Untamed, Book 4 in the House of Night series is released later this year!!

4.5/5

As I said earlier, this RIP season seems to be the season of the Vampire. Ever book I’ve read so far for this challenge seems to involve vampires!! That includes the latest installment of the Gardella Vampire Chronicles, When Twilight Burns by Colleen Gleason (368 pgs, Signet, 2008). While not my favorite book in the series, this one is still definitely worth reading!

Back in London, Victoria has her hands full. Not only is her mother pressuring her to be social and rejoin the ton, she is looking to marry her off again. She is also expected to play a part in her friend Gwendolyn’s wedding, even though Gwendolyn’s brother (and member of the Tutela) is back in town. And if that isn’t bad enough, it seems that a new type of vampire is walking the streets of London. During the daytime. And is setting up Victoria to take the fall for the killings.

In addition to all of her other problems, Victoria has another worry. The encounter she had with Beauregard has left her changed. She reacts differently around blood, and finds herself enraged easier. Now she is worried that she is becoming the thing she despises the most: a vampire.

The “love triangle” between Victoria/Max/Sebastian is also a very major storyline in this book. Sebastian has accepted his role as Venator and is working along side Victoria in her efforts to rid London of vampires, although there are still a few trust issues. Then there is Max. He has lost his Venator powers and is trying to hide from Lilith. But he has come to London to offer his services as well. After Max’s kiss, Victoria is even more confused about where her heart wants to lead her.

This book has less about vampires and more about romance than any of the preceding books. And it seems that by the end, a choice has been made. Am I happy with the choice? It’s a little bittersweet for me, because I truly like both male characters. But I honestly feel like it was the right choice. As always, there are some twists and turns that make this an exciting read. And Colleen seems to be heading toward a conclusion to this series….again, it will be bittersweet for me. I love this series and hate to see it end. But end it will. And I definitely am waiting on pins and needles for the next installment!!

4/5

Note: There are spoilers in this review for Rises the Night.

The lair of the Queen of the Vampires was tucked away in the snowy mountain range of Muntii Fagaras. The only reason Maximilian Pesaro had been able to find the hideaway was because of the two bite marks on his neck. Permanent ones left by Lilith herself.

The Bleeding Dusk continues the adventures of Victoria Gardella Grantworth de Lacey just a few months after the conclusion of Rises the Night. Things have changed for the Venators in Rome. Because Eustacia had been sacrificed to stop Nedes from activating Akvan’s Obelisk, Victoria became the Illa Gardella. Still reeling from the loss of her aunt, she stayed in Rome to be at the Consilium with the other Venators instead of immediately returning to London.

Max was also grieving. He had to do the unthinkable in order to destroy the Obelisk, and it was killing him inside. But Lilith’s promise of releasing him from her thrall was the one thing keeping him going. Until he met with her. She indeed said she would release him, but there was a price.

Now there are other things stalking the streets of Rome besides Vampires. And everyone is in a race to find the keys to the legendary “Door of Alchemy”. Behind it are secrets left by the Alchemist Palombara, and vampires and demons alike are trying gain access. It’s up to Victoria and the rest of the Venators to stop them.

I enjoyed the first two books in this series….a lot. But Colleen Gleason kicked it up a notch with The Bleeding Dusk. The weary little love triangle has now gotten even bigger. It’s more like a square, with Victoria dead set in the center!! And no matter whether you happen to favor Sebastian or Max, it’s apparent in this book that things are about to change rather drastically for everyone.

At the heart of this book is the notion of sacrifice. Not only Victoria, but both Max and Sebastian. And they are called to sacrifice something that is very near to their hearts and personal to them. How they handle it just makes the storyline grow stronger with each page turned. Colleen throws in a couple of curves with this book (like I expected any less!) and in the end, I think this might be the best book yet. The characters are evolving rather quickly, and although my tolerance for Victoria and her short-sightedness and quick-to-jump-to-conclusion way about her is starting to grate on me, I do understand where she is coming from. But the evolution of both Max and Sebastian is where the strength in The Bleeding Dusk lays. The foundation that was laid in the first two books takes on a whole different meaning now. And I can not wait to find out what happens. It will be a bittersweet day for me when this series has ended. But the end is near. I can feel it coming and I already have When Twilight Burns ready to go! If you have read the first two books, then you MUST read The Bleeding Dusk. Honestly, the series just gets better and better. And if you haven’t read any of the Gardella books, I would completely recommend them. A Fantastic story for anyone that loves Vampires, but especially Buffy The Vampire Slayer! 4.5/5

Even today, if you asked my father who his favorite actress is, he would answer Adrienne Barbeau. Since the days of Maude, he’s had a wild crush on her. Me, I never watched it. But The Fog, Escape from New York, and the excellent HBO series Carnivale would rank me pretty high on the Fan-Girl list myself. So when Anna, from The Book Report Network, contacted me with an opportunity to review Ms. Barbeau’s first fiction novel, Vampyres of Hollywood (336 pgs, Thomas Dunne Books, 2008) I was over-the-top excited. Not only is it Adrienne Barbeau, but she’s writing about Vampires. And we all know how much I love Vampire Fiction.

It took an X-ray and an autopsy to confirm that Jason Eddings had been killed with the Oscar he’d won for Best Actor just six hours earlier. He deserved it. The Oscar, that is. As for being murdered, well, he probably deserved that too.

As so begins the story of the Vampyres of Hollywood. Ovsanna Moore is a Hollywood powerhouse. She is the “Scream Queen” that has starred in and written seventeen blockbuster horror films (”and a few that went straight to video”). She is also the head of her own Hollywood Studio called Anticipation Studios. Beautiful, tough and powerful, she is a true Hollywood A-lister. She just also happens to be a 500-year-old vampire. As the Chatelaine of Hollywood, Osvanna was the first vampire to lay stake to the area. No other vampire is higher in rank than she. And rank is a pretty big deal among the various vampire clans. She also has connections to 3 very violent and very public Hollywood murders. Each actor that was killed by the “Cinema Slayer” has starred in at least one film from Anticipation studios. Not to mention that all 3 were vampires and part of Osvanna’s clan.

Detective Peter Moore has been assigned to find the “Cinema Slayer”. As handsome as an actor, Moore is a star in his own right. He has hero status among the cops for saving a child’s life in a very high-profile way. He also has a lot of knowledge of the movie industry. His mother was a bit player back in the day, but ended up owning a very successful catering business that worked big name films. And now she’s an even more successful dealer in Hollywood memorabilia. Peter knows the ins and outs of the business, and to him all roads in the gruesome serial killings lead right to Osvanna Moore and Anticipation Studios.

My first thought when I picked up this book was, “What if I don’t like it?” I would be so disappointed, as an Adrienne Barbeau fan-girl, if I didn’t. But nothing could be further from the truth. I absolutely loved this book!! Campy, without being cliché; witty, without being slapstick; and gruesome, without being repellent; Vampyres of Hollywood is a breath of fresh air in a genre that is fast becoming overdone in the literary world. With a new take on all the old vampire legends, Barbeau and Scott have created a funny, fast-paced “horror” novel that is also a very crafty mystery. The icing on the cake is a lot of cool Hollywood trivia, and the inclusion of many of the old Hollywood screen legends.

Told in alternating chapters from both Osvanna’s and Peter’s perspectives, the novel moves quickly. And once the story starts taking shape, it’s near impossible to put the book down! If you are a fan of the paranormal, of the vampire legend, or even of the old Silver Screen Actors, this book is definitely for you. Combine that with a lot of behind-the-scenes looks at Hollywood from a true insider, and you have a novel that certainly puts a “Bite” on the reader. Pun, most definitely intended!! Many, many thanks to Anna for passing this great read on to me. Highly Recommended!! 4.5/5

Book number two from the Amazon Vine program is yet another (gasp!) Young Adult book. It is Evernight by Claudia Gray (336 pgs, Harper Teen, 2008), and this is the latest offering in the burgeoning world of Teen Paranormal/Vampire books.

It was the first day of school, which meant it was my last chance to escape. I didn’t have a backpack full of survival gear, a wallet thick with cash that I could use to buy myself a plane ticket somewhere, or a friend waiting for me down the road in a getaway car. Basically, I didn’t have what most sane people would call “a plan”. But it didn’t matter. There was no way I was going to remain at Evernight Academy.

Bianca Olivier is about to start her first day at the Evernight Academy, an exclusive boarding school in a desolate area of New England. Her parents had been offered teaching positions with the school, and they decided it would be beneficial for Bianca, such a painfully shy girl, to be enrolled at Evernight. But Bianca had barely ever left the small town she grew up in, and hated the idea of leaving the few friends she had, especially to go live in the Gothic, eerie, and utterly creepy boarding school. And due to a change in Admission Policy, a new group of kids were admitted for the first time this year.

The “old” kids at Evernight were rich, smart, beautiful snobs. But Bianca found a kindred spirit in Lucas Ross. He was different than the others. Very confrontational, Lucas made no bones about being different from the others. And Bianca fell for Lucas….hard.

But there were many secrets the kids at Evernight were keeping. Even Bianca and Lucas had their secrets. And secrets always have a way of coming out…at the most inopportune moments.

First of all…this is another teen vampire story. (and I’m not really giving anything away here.) In the same vein as PC Cast and Kristin Cast’s Marked series, Evernight is the first book in yet another series. But Evernight has its original moments too. There is a big “twist” in the middle that really threw me for a loop. I’m usually pretty in tune with what’s going on in most of the books I read, but this one actually got me.

The characters in the book are all very well drawn out, and I loved the relationship that Bianca had with her parents. There is also a really good love triangle portion of the story involving Bianca, Lucas, and another student named Balthazar. And the plot is very suspenseful. Again, this is the case of me NOT knowing I was starting yet another series, but the ending is open enough for more. (Then I tripped on over to the author’s website and found that this is the first of a four-book series!) While I think this book would appeal immensely to the YA sect because of all the “teen angst”, there is still alot for adults to enjoy. The pages turned fast, and by the time I hit the twist, there was no stopping until I finished. All in all, I found Evernight to be an exceptionally good story and one that will leave you wanting more!! 4/5

Imaginary Friends edited by John Marco & Martin H. Greenberg
DAW, 2008
Fiction/Fantasy (SS); 304 pgs

The title was what first captured my eye. I pulled the book off the shelf, and it did not take me long to add it to my purchases that day. My curiosity got the better of me and I began reading the introduction as I waited in line to check out.

Imaginary friends have touched many of our lives. Perhaps even you had one. They were our sidekicks and sometimes our heroes. They got us into trouble just as much as they kept us out of it. They kept us company and understood what we were going through. They were our best friends and our allies when we needed them most.

John Marco, fantasy author, had considered writing a research paper on imaginary friends for a human development class while in college. Unfortunately, he would soon discover, there was not a lot of research out there available, and so he had to put that idea aside for the time being. Years later he was asked to be a part of putting this little collection of stories together. What an interesting idea, I thought. Childhood fantasies and imaginary friends are topics that fascinate me. Perhaps in part because, like John Marco, I once had an imaginary friend too.

Imaginary Friends is an anthology of short stories by a variety of authors, each story taking the concept of the imaginary friend and weaving it into a fantastical tale—some set in far off worlds and others right here in our own. Anne Bishop’s name is the first that popped off the back cover at me when I initially picked up the book. As a fan of her Black Jewels world, I was anxious to read her contribution to the book. The twelve other authors whose stories you will find among the pages of the collection are Rick Hautala, Jean Rabe, Juliet McKenna, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Kristine Britain, Donald J. Bingle, Tim Waggoner, Paul Genesse, Russell Davis, Bill Fawcett, Fiona Patton, and Jim C. Hines.

I jotted notes down for each story as I read, and one concept that repeatedly appeared with nearly every story was a variation of the phrase, “Everything is not always what it appears to be.” Each of the stories in the collection are imaginative and thoughtful. Some are funny while others more serious. There’s the boy and his dragon who slay pirates; a prisoner trapped in a tower who is only able to look out at the world through a reflection in a mirror; a beggar and his dog just looking for their next meal; a young girl with a gift who must endure a difficult trial; a bar bet gone awry; a writer whose lost her way and needs a little help from a friend to get back on the right path; the man who professed his innocence right up until the end; a grieving father’s desperation; a young boy coping with the upheaval in his family; a lonely man’s ramblings and a postal worker caught in his spell; an imaginary friend reunites with his grown child during a tense moment in time; a man whose family is caught up in illusions; and a haunting story about Death and his tie to one boy and his mother.

My favorite of the stories included the first story in the collection, Rick Hautala’s “A Good Day for Dragons.” My initial thought upon finishing the story was what a wonderful bedtime story this would make. It reminded me of my own childhood adventures as I chased down drug dealers and mobsters with my imaginary partner by my side.

I was also quite taken with Anne Bishop’s story, “Stands a God Within the Shadows.” Whenever I read anything by this author, I quickly lose myself in the world she has created and it was no different with this particular story, which, while short, still enthralled me in its spell. A lonely person is trapped in a tower, unable to look out directly on the world outside her window, with only a figure in the shadow for comfort and conversation. The protagonist’s strength and resilience are what especially make this story stand out in an otherwise seemingly hopeless situation.

Paul Genesse’s “Greg and Eli” was a story that touched my heart. It is the story of a young boy who finds his entire life uprooted when his mother and father move to a small town in Nevada after the death of his unborn baby brother. His parents are too wrapped up in their own agony and little Greg finds himself having to face the world outside on his own, including a bunch of bullies.

Another favorite of mine was the story of the young soldier in Iraq who called upon his childhood imaginary friend, Thumper, as gunfire erupted around him in Bill Fawcett’s “The Big Exit.” It was a story of courage and trust. And yes, I did get a little choked up at the end.

The imagination is an amazing thing and Imaginary Friends brings out some of the best of that. Not one story disappointed me.

Rating: (Very Good)

333 pages

Elizabeth Phoenix used to be a police officer for the Milwaukee Police Department. She is a psychic and she used her skills in her job but she quit the force when her partner was killed. She now works as a bartender for her dead partner’s wife. One day, while on the job at the bar, she gets the overwhelming urge to visit her foster mother, Ruthie. When she arrives, she finds that Ruthie has been attacked. Just before she dies, Ruthie passes “something” to Elizabeth who falls unconscious into a coma for a few days. When she wakes up, her life is changed forever and the Doomsday countdown has begun.

Part of the draw of urban fantasy for me is all of the monsters, fairies and such in a modern-day setting. I enjoyed that there were so many different types of characters that I had never heard of and that at least a little bit of info about each type was presented such as how Liz could kill them, how they got their power, how they came to be, which parts of the myth are true etc. I also enjoyed the story of Liz and Jimmy’s relationship and their relationship with Ruthie.

As a fan of urban fantasy, I understand that most, if not all, books in this genre contain at least some sexual content. I know this, and generally speaking, I know what I am getting myself into. However, this book went way beyond what I would normally expect to find. The entire second half of the book is one gratuitous sex scene after another while we get snippets here and there about the Doomsday countdown. I was annoyed to see a storyline I was enjoying deteriorate into this and in the end, I decided it just wasn’t worth it. I skipped a large chunk and read the last two pages. I am giving this 2 out of 5 stars when I didn’t technically finish because I did enjoy the first part of the story. (2/5)

“I ask for nothing but a kiss,” he said, his voice still calm and low, but his eyes dimmed. “Mouth to mouth. You might hold your stake between us if it would make you feel more as ease, Venator.”

“Perhaps I would slam it into your heart and send you to Hell, then,” Victoria replied, her voice easier, more normal. [pg 76]

The Bleeding Dusk by Colleen Gleason
Signet Eclipse, 2008
Fantasy (Paranormal Romance); 346 pgs

From the Publisher:

To gain access to the secrets of a legendary alchemist, Rome’s vampires have allied themselves with creatures as evil and bloodthirsty as they are. The new leader of the city’s vampire hunters-Lady Victoria Gardella Grantworth de Lacy-reluctantly turns to the enigmatic Sebastian Vioget for help, just as Maximilian Pesaro arrives to aid his fellow slayers, no matter what the sacrifice. Desire puts her at the mercy of Sebastian, while loyalty binds her to Max, but she does not know if she can trust either. Especially when a seductive vampire begins luring her into the shadows . . .

The Bleeding Dusk, the third book in the Gardella Vampire Chronicles, is probably my favorite in the series so far. It is dark and thrilling. Victoria continues to grow as a character, coming into her own. With each book, the reader learns more about Maximillion Pesaro and Sebastian Vioget, two complicated and very different men whose histories are somehow intertwined.

It was good to see the return of a few favorites from the first novel, The Rest Falls Away, characters I had not realized I had missed until running into them again in The Bleeding Dusk. Melly, Victoria’s mother, and her two friends provide a bit of comic relief in an otherwise dark and suspense filled novel that literally kept me all night as I raced to the end to find out what would happen next.

The only downside is that I do not yet have my copy of the final book in the series, When Twilight Burns. Oh, how I wish I did! And yet, in a way, I am glad I don’t. I am not sure I am ready to see this series come to an end.

Rating: Rating: (Very Good)

You can learn more about the author and her series at her website and on her blog, For All the World to See.

Far World, Book 1: Water Keep

by J. Scott Savage
Shadow Mountain, September 2008 (ARE)
Fantasy (YA); 419 pgs

One of the first things I do when I crack open a book is to read the dedication. This one I read out loud to my husband and he immediately zeroed in on the mention of solving Ultima games. As a result, he plans to read this book based on that alone. Okay, so maybe that isn’t quite true. He does enjoy a good fantasy story and that may have something to do with it too.

Thirteen year old Marcus Kanenas is alone in the world. He is an orphan, having moved from place to place, school to school, and he isn’t sure how long he’ll be at the latest one. Bound to a wheelchair and the target of bullies, he has learned to be resourceful. He has a talent for disappearing and sensing what is to come, gifts he does not fully understand, but which have come in handy in a pinch. He often dreams of a far away world, one full of magic and talking animals and trees. He calls it Farworld. He daydreams about a young girl about his age whose name begins with a K, an imaginary friend—or so he believes.

Marcus discovers that his dreams are not so farfetched, however, when a man comes for him, posing as an attorney representing his long lost parents. Once the man has Marcus alone, his true identity and intentions are revealed and Marcus must fight for his life. A helping hand comes from an unexpected place—an unexpected world, in fact. Kyja reaches out to Marcus, sensing the danger he is in, and pulls him into her world, that of Farworld. Farworld is even more amazing than Marcus imagined it would be. He marvels at the joking horse and the singing flowers. He is enamored by the commonness of magic.

Like Marcus on earth, Kyja is a bit of an outcast in Farworld. Magic is commonplace in her world, a natural ability that everyone shares. Everyone that is except for Kyja. Like Marcus, she has had to endure stares and jokes on her behalf. She has learned to live without magic, and yet it is something she longs for. Perhaps it is buried deep within her as her friend and teacher, the wizard, Master Therapass suggests.

Kyja’s opening the way for Marcus to enter into Farworld has much bigger ramifications than either can imagine. A balance has been disrupted and both will quickly discover that they are a part of a bigger plot. The Dark Circle is growing more powerful and will stop and nothing to find Marcus and Kyja to either destroy them or bend them to their will. The only hope is for Kyja and Marcus to bring together the four Elementals—water, land, air and fire. Their search will not be an easy one. Not only do they face the threat of the Dark Circle and its minions, but also other enemies such as the mimickers and unmakers.

While separately the two do not seem like much of a threat against any evil, together they make quite a team. Their friendship and faith in each other is strong, but will it be strong enough to see them through to the end?

Water Keep is the first in the Far World series by J. Scott Savage. There is innocence about both Kyja and Marcus that is instantly endearing and yet both characters are wise beyond their years. They have had to overcome a lot in their thirteen years, faced loneliness and learned to make do with what little they had. Neither thought they were special in any way, and yet when faced with danger, they both proved they had more courage and strength than most people would probably have shown in the same situations.

The author did a great job of capturing the wonder and newness of Farworld to Marcus and of Earth to both Kyja and Riph Raph, the skyte. Kyja especially touched my heart; she is thoughtful and cares about complete strangers in need. She never asks for anything in return, just doing what she knows is the right thing to do. She also is quite blunt when she needs to be, standing up for what she believes and is not willing to back down just because danger is too close at hand.

J. Scott Savage has created characters that will appeal to young audiences as well as older ones. It is definitely a young adult series, the story is not overly complex and the characters are easy to relate to.

Farworld is an amazing place, full of magic and life. While avid fantasy readers may see some similarities in the set up as compared to other well known fantasy novels, there are plenty of differences and fresh ideas present as well. There is definitely a connection between Earth and Farworld, and I look forward to discovering more about it as the series progresses. J. Scott Savage’s Far World series was a delightful reading experience. I can’t wait until the next adventure.

Rating: Rating: (Very Good)

Something in my soul had been hurt by what surrounded me, but I was not physically hurt. [excerpt from Nightwalker]

Nightwalker by Jocelynn Drake
Harper, August 2008 (ARE)
Fantasy; 370 pgs

It has been too long since last read a fantasy novel about vampires. I was thrilled when I learned that I was selected to receive a copy of Jocelynn Drake’s Nightwalker through Harper Collins First Look Program. It sounded like a promising start to a new series. A series reader can never have enough series to read, right? And what could be more fun than a tale of magic, vampires, lycanthropes, great battles, and a little flicker of romance?

Nightwalker introduces readers to Mira, a vampire with a special talent of being able to start fires. She is greatly feared and admired by those in the magic realm. Mira is content with her life in Savannah, Georgia, watching over her domain and protecting the secret of her people, keeping the knowledge of the dark forces hidden from the humans. When a powerful vampire hunter comes to town bearing an unexpected gift, Mira finds herself face to face with an enemy she long believed to be dead.

Danaus, the mysterious hunter, is not out to kill her just yet. He needs her help. The naturi were one of biggest threats to both nightwalkers and humanity centuries ago, and there are signs that they are returning to the world. Mira still has nightmares of her time in captivity when she was kidnapped and held prisoner by the naturi. She must decide whether to join forces with the hunter in fighting their common foe. One thing she knows for sure, however. She must seek out the triad that created the seal that had blocked the naturi from returning. Only they will be able to stop the naturi from growing in strength and ushering their queen across the barrier. If that were to happen, humans and nightwalkers would face certain death and destruction.

Although the book got off to a slow start, it wasn’t long before I was drawn into the story. I especially found myself curious about Danaus. He is human and yet holds his own special powers. He has a strong sense of justice and is not sure what to think of Mira and her kind. He was taught all his life that vampires were evil and that they killed out of blood lust. Mira has her own code. She does not kill indiscriminately and cares about the humans as well as her own people. She will do what she must to protect the secrets that she keeps just the same, and if that means spilling blood, then so be it.

It took me a little while to warm up to Mira. She seemed cold and calculating at first, using her wiles to get what she wanted. She was not above using force to prove her point and could just as quickly use her sensuality to get what she wanted. Jocelynn Drake did a good job, however, of bringing out the more human side of Mira as the story unfolded. And as her character often reminded the vampire hunter, humans are themselves a violent race—even more so in some ways than the nightwalkers.

The novel takes readers from the beautiful city of Savannah, Georgia to Africa and on to England where the isle is rich in magic. I felt like I was wandering the streets right alongside Mira and Danaus as they went about their business. I wouldn’t have minded lingering a bit longer.

The biggest disadvantage to reading this book is that it ends with a bit of a cliffhanger. It is obvious there is much more to Mira’s story, and, of course, now I have to wait before I will be able to see where Jocelynn Drake will take me next. Jocelynn Drake has created an intriguing and magical world that I cannot wait to visit again.

Rating: (Good +)

Mr. Fooster Traveling on a Whim: A Visual Novel by Tom Corwin
Illustrated by Craig Frazier

Pages: 101
Finished: July 18, 2008
First Published: June, 2008
Genre: graphic novel, fantasy, magical realism
Rating: 4/5

First sentence:

Mr. Fooster has a long list of things he likes to do.

Comments: Rather than starting this review with a summary of the plot I will be starting with a summary of the physical book itself. This is a small hardcover book, dimensionally just a bit smaller than the size of a trade paperback. The cover has a matte finish yet the bubble is raised and glossy. I found myself touching the bubble on the cover numerous times. Also on the cover we see the words “A Visual Novel” and after looking at the copyright page I see the LCC have catalogued it as a “graphic novel”. Upon browsing through the book I would say it looks like a child’s picture book with text on one side and an illustration on the other for each two page spread. This is not a children’s book, though. It is a book for adults and I think the publishing industry is going to have to come up with some new names for this emerging genre of books that are for adult readers and yet combine text and illustration though not in the typical comic format of a graphic novel.

The story is about Mr. Fooster who likes to go for walks. In his pocket he carries a bottle of children’s bubbles. As he walks around he always asks himself questions such as “Who figured out how to eat artichokes?” and “How come we never see baby pigeons?”. It is hard to describe the story but at first magical realism surrounds the events, then the story takes on a fairy tale aspect and finally becomes a fable. The pen and ink drawings are superb. They add a magical, whimsical feel that the text alone could not purvey. This is a tale full of whimsy with a clear message for adults to never loose their imagination, not to let their lives stand still rooting themselves to one spot and not to forget that the little things in life do matter. A very sweet story and yet, slightly Kafkaesque as reality becomes blurred and Mr. Fooster comes to an unfortunate situation. But, in the end, all ends well and I can see this as a perfect gift book for those who enjoy fantasy and/or fairy tales.

Procession of the Dead by D.B. Shan
The City: Book 1
Pages: 312
First Published: March 3, 2008 (Canada & UK)
Genre: urban fantasy
Rating: 5/5

Comments:
Capac Raimi arrives in the city to join his uncle’s business, that of small time gangster. He quickly learns the ropes but soon finds himself brought to the attention of The Cardinal. The Cardinal is the gangster who runs the entire city and nothing happens in this city without the the knowledge or approval of The Cardinal.

Life is great for Capac; he may just be the heir that the Cardinal has been looking for. But Capac realizes all is not as he thought it was when people start to disappear and no one remembers them. It is as if they had never existed at all. Thus Capac is propelled forward trying to find these missing people, without The Cardinal’s knowledge which is a very dangerous game to play, and at the same time find out just who he is himself.

This is such an intricate plot with twists and turns that kept me reading into the small hours of the night. I found myself gasping out loud at each revelation that the author threw at me. Each turn of the plot left me stunned and eager to read on. This is a wonderful read.

The book is peopled with an eccentric mix of characters. From The Cardinal, who has an almost superhuman rage when angered, to Conchita, an elderly woman with the face of a teenager, to the strange religious cult of blind men who only appear when fog rolls over the city.

This is a dark fantasy, set in a violent world and fortunately, the first in a series. I hope I don’t have to wait too long to read the next one! Highly recommended!

Of note, you may not recognize the author’s name, D.B. Shan, as he is most well-known as Darren Shan, the author of numerous Young Adult books of terror. This is his first adult novel.