Fforde, Jasper: The Eyre Affair

ISBN: 0142001805

From the Publisher:

In Jasper Fforde's Great Britain, circa 1985, time travel is routine, cloning is a reality (dodos are the resurrected pet of choice), and literature is taken very, very seriously. England is a virtual police state where an aunt can get lost (literally) in a Wordsworth poem and forging Byronic verse is a punishable offense. All this is business as usual for Thursday Next, renowned Special Operative in literary detection. But when someone begins kidnapping characters from works of literature and plucks Jane Eyre from the pages of Brontk's novel, Thursday is faced with the challenge of her career. Fforde's ingenious fantasy-enhanced by a Web site that re-creates the world of the novel--unites intrigue with English literature in a delightfully witty mix.

I'm not going to go on and on about this book, other than I love it! It's witty, plot driven, with great characters. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a little crazy fiction mixed in to their normal reading life. It's kind of fantasy, but not too fantasy, and it's pretty easy to swallow. Seriously. Go out and buy this book, you will love it.

How can you not love a book with characters named things like Braxton Hicks?

Great for everyone over the age of 14 (mild violence, sexual overtures).

Viehl, Lynn: Private Demon

ISBN: 0451217055

From the Publisher:

Jema Shaw is an antiquities expert. But she moonlights as a police
forensic consultant - to escape an existence trapped between her domineering
mother and the mysterious illness that's plagued Jema for years.

Thierry Durand was tormented body and sould by his people's greatest
enemies - and by his wife's betrayal. His only hope for healing lies in
Jema's heart.

Night after night, Thierry slips into Jema's dreams, fulfilling her
deepest, darkest desires. In the arms of her private demon lover, Jema
find that her fantasy is becoming more important to her than anything in
reality. But Thierry's sensual visits have placer her in the cross fire
between two ancient enemies: a religious order known as the Brethren and a cadre
of immortals known as the Darkyn...

Private Demon is a quick, no nonsence paranormal romance, encapturing the typical vampire-falls-for-human trappings. It wasn't overly fantastic, it wasn't horrible.

I will say this: Ms. Viehl could have done a few things better. I felt that Jema's condition could have been handled more subtley, with more forshadowing and less outright discussion, left for a plot twist at the end (it was really only a plot turn, and one with signs, even). I felt that there were too many supurfluous characters - she could have cut the cast down to about 3/4's of the original charaters and still had it work wonderfully.

I did like the general plot, and I liked a lot of the things that were brought about - I liked how Jema and Alex met, and their instant dislike of one another. I liked the plot turn and the love triangle. I liked hearing more about the Darkyn's different powers, it was all interesting.

If you borrow this book, get it from the library, or from a used bookstore, you will definitely enjoy it. If you spend the full $10 on it, you may end up feeling cheated. Don't pick this up expecting the next literary genius.

Oh - definitely rated R.

Harris, Charlaine: Living Dead in Dallas

ISBN: 0-441-00923-9

From SFsite.com (Publisher had nothing to say!):

Our favorite cocktail waitress is back again for another adventure. Living Dead in Dallas introduces us to the various political goings on in the vampire world. Sookie and the Vampire Bill have been invited to Dallas. The Dallas vampires need Sookie's telepathic skills and she is drafted by Eric, the Viking
vampire sheriff of Area 5 to help them. Sookie feels obligated to Eric as he has recently saved her from a very nasty creature with a venomous bite. Off to Dallas she and Bill will go.

Of course things are not as they seem. With a very scary group of
religious nuts and a suicidal vampire, Sookie is soon overwhelmed with all that is happening. To complicate life even more, back in Bon Temps one of Sookie's co-workers meets a grisly end. Life will never be simple for Sookie and Bill, but Sookie never expected this much action.

This is definitely a Paranormal Romance book - not a paranormal book with romance, but a romance book about vampires (just to be completely clear). As a general rule, I don't read romance books, but this series seems to be an exception.

As a general rule, these books are light and fluffy, with some danger, but you always know that Sookie will be ok. I like the characters in this book as they are all pretty relatable in a back country american town kind of way, and the vampires, are, well, vampires.

This plot seemed to work for this book, so no complaints there, either.

This is the perfect beach book. It's not heavy, it's easy to read and will travel nicely with you. Take a couple, because you'll finish this one in a day or two!

Definitely an 18 year old + type of book, due to the frank discussion of sex.

Harrison, Kim: A Fistful of Charms

ISBN: 0-06-0788194

From the Publisher:

The evil night things that prowl Cincinnati despise witch and bounty hunter Rachel Morgan. Her new reputation for the dark arts is turning human and undead heads alike with the intent to possess, bed, and kill her -- not necessarily in that order.

Now a mortal lover who abandoned Rachel has returned,
haunted by his secret past. And there are those who covet what Nick possesses -- savage beasts willing to destroy the Hollows and everyone in it if necessary. Forced to keep a low profile or eternally suffer the wrath of a vengeful demon, Rachel must nevertheless act quickly. For the pack is gathering for the
first time in millennia to ravage and to rule. And suddenly more than Rachel’s soul is at stake.

This is the fourth installment in the Rachel Morgan series, a fairly successful paranormal action/romance/fantasy type book. I've enjoyed the series to date, and this book did not dissapoint.

I found the plot well thought out and forward moving, the characters like old familiar friends, and the tension in the book was palatable.

The basic plot is that Rachel ends up helping out a friend to rescue his son, who is involved with Rachel's ex-boyfriend. While on task she learns about herself, her ex-boyfriends, and her situation at home. I think that the story was well crafted, and had a great (and appropriate) ending. It wasn't a great cliffhanger, nor was it a closed ending, but left a terrific segue to the next book.

This book had the regular cast of characters, Rachel, Ivy, Kisten, Nick, Jenks, Ceri, etc. No Trent or Big Al, so that was interesting. I can't wait to see what happens with those two next!

Anyway, this was a pretty good book, with no major sex (a sexual type scene happened, but it wasn't "sex" per se), a fair amount of cussing and violent and gory scenes. I would say that this book is definitely for 16 year olds and up.

Yolen, Jane: Briar Rose

ISBN: 0765342308

From the Publisher:

Rebecca has always loved listening to her grandmother's stories about Briar Rose. However, the old woman's astonishing and hard-to-believe admission that she "is" Briar Rose sets Rebecca on an unforgettable path of self-discovery that will change her life forever.

Briar Rose is not the story that you think it is. It is not so much about the story of Sleeping Beauty, but rather the story of a young woman's journey to find herself, her heritage, and to keep a promise to her dying grandmother.

Rebecca's grandmother kept insisting that she was Briar Rose from the story, and through a trip to Poland, a view of different Holocaust camps and a fateful interview with an old man, she finds out her history, from where her grandmother came, and how her family came to be.

Briar Rose is a short, quick book. It is written in simple language, with tangible characters (right down to the bickering sisters) and a realistic series of events. It is meant for young adults, and will entertain those between the ages of 15-20 the most. It was a beautiful story, but very short (I read it during a two hour plane ride). I would recommend it for anyone - there isn't anything too offensive in the story, and is certainly no more graphic then learning about the persecution of the Jews in school.

Gabaldon, Diana: Outlander

ISBN: 0770428797

From the Publisher:

Claire Randall is leading a double life. She has a husband in one century, and a lover in another...

In 1945, Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon—when she innocently touches a boulder in one of the ancient stone circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach—an "outlander"—in a Scotland torn by war and raiding border clans in the year of our Lord...1743.

Hurled back in time by forces she cannot understand, Claire''s destiny in soon inextricably intertwined with Clan MacKenzie and the forbidden Castle Leoch. She is catapulted without warning into the intrigues of lairds and spies that may threaten her life ...and shatter her heart. For here, James Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior, shows her a passion so fierce and a love so absolute that Claire becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire...and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives.

I am not going to say much more about the plot, as it is detailed as finely as it can be above without giving anything away.

All I will say is WOW! I loved this book and I can't wait to pick up the rest of the series. I know that it isn't done yet, so I won't be devouring them too quickly!

Outlander is a beautiful story of romance, need, and family that you won't be able to put down. Pick it up. It's one of my (new) favourite books.

Brite, Poppy Z.: Drawing Blood

ISBN: 0440214920

From the Publisher:

From the hottest voice in contemporary horror comes a hip, sensual, and totally original reimagining of the haunted house story. Trevor McGee is a survivor. Twenty years ago, his father took the lives of his mother, his brother and himself in an inexplicable explosion of murder and suicide. Now Trevor has returned home to face the demons. . .

Drawing Blood was an interesting read. I must say that if anyone can't stand boy-on-boy action or is offeded by homosexuality DO NOT READ THIS BOOK. There is graphic sex scenes, and parts that I didn't read because I had enough.

That being said, the basic premise of the book was original and well thought out. It is a basic haunted house-type story, with music, art and drugs tossed in for good measure. It was equal parts horror and erotica, with excellent prose, strong characters and persistant plot line. There is not a line or a paragraph that is wasted in this book.

I am not going to write out what happens. I think that the best part of the book was not knowing what would happen, so I am going to leave it all enshrouded in mystery.

If you're looking for an R-rated book that will keep your toes tingling for a while after you've read it, this is the book for you.