Amy's Book Nook

A New Twist on An Otherworldly Genre

2008-07-07T16:43:15Z

Books reviewed: Eternal Pleasure by Nina Bangs and Undead and Unworthy by MaryJanice Davidson

New York Times bestselling author Nina Bangs returns with her own unique take on the paranormal genre in "Eternal Pleasure."
An ancient Mayan prediction that the world will end on 12-21-12 is the centerpiece in a story about ancient warriors fighting an ongoing war against evil enemies. Ty Endeka is part of the Eleven, a group of immortal beings charged with fighting the Lords of Time (yes, someone does acknowledge the Doctor Who sounding name in the story) from coming to our world and destroying it all. Kelly Maloy is the human who has been assigned to drive Ty around and help him acclimate to our world as he fights supernatural baddies of all kinds. But Kelly can’t help but be drawn into his world and the danger that lurks there - just as she can’t fight her attraction to Ty. But being with Ty has a large price attached to it - is Kelly willing to pay it?

This is the first in a new series, and personally, I can’t wait for the rest. Bangs continues to breathe new life into the genre, coming up with new and fresh characters and creatures to inhabit the paranormal genre. There are the typical vampires, werewolves, warlocks and the like, but there are also dual-souled creatures the likes of which you’ve never seen. "Eternal Pleasure" is published by Dorchester. It is $7.99 and is 384 pages long.

New York Times bestselling author MaryJanice Davidson is back with more of Betsy Taylor-Sinclair, the unconventional queen of the vampires in "Undead and Unworthy." Betsy adjusting to married life with her hot undead spouse when she is interrupted not only by the ghost of her hated stepmother, the Ant, and crazed vampires busting into her house. Turns out the Fiends are unhappy she didn’t do more to help them and are now after Betsy. Why The Ant is there is anyone’s guess for now, but as Betsy tries to protect both her human and nonhuman friends, she finds it gets increasingly difficult as more and more violence spreads. And what does this have to do with a rash of recent murders? By the time the dust settles, who will be left living, so to speak?

Betsy’s stories have always been a little ray of sunshine in the brooding world of vampire fiction, and this one continues to be, but takes a bit of a dark turn toward the end. Betsy’s got a lot of messes to clean up and is just getting started.

"Undead and Unworthy" is published by Berkley Sensation. It is $23.95 and is 285 pages long. Contact Amy Mendenhall at amendenhall@newsandsentinel.com. Visit her blog at www.newsandsentinel.com for a new featured book every week this summer!

Teen Summer Reads

2008-07-01T13:43:02Z

A girl learns how to stand up for herself while remaining friendly in Kieran Scott’s "Geek Magnet."

KJ is the stage manager for the school’s musical production of Grease and couldn’t be happier. Except for the fact that she is a magnet for obnoxious, geeky boys. They flock to her, give her presents, invade her personal space, and won’t leave her alone.If only Cameron Richardson, the hunky basketball player would pay the slightest bit of attention to her instead of the geeks, KJ would be thrilled.

But KJ also has family problems, with a father who is an alcoholic. Her life at home is miserable, something she keeps secret from all but her best friend.

Tama, who is playing Sandy in the production, takes a sudden interest in KJ. She starts inviting her to parties and lunch and wants KJ to be more assertive - and dump the geeks. When KJ finally stands up for herself against one, she finds her friends are shocked - and Tama is thrilled. And then Cameron starts talking to and asking out KJ! Another member of the cast, Robbie, befriends KJ as a way to find out more about Tama. But is KJ being assertive or becoming someone she doesn’t want to be? And who are KJ’s true friends?

A fun book dealing with family issues and a great message of staying strong and true to yourself, this story about a school play and the girl behind the scenes will charm.

"Geek Magnet" is published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons, a division of Penguin. It is $16.99 and for ages 12 and up.

?

A girl enjoys a fun-filled and romantic summer with two cute boys in Catherine Clark’s "Picture Perfect."

It’s tradition for Emily’s family to spend their summer vacation with her father’s college friends and their families. The kids have practically grown up together - and that includes Spencer, the boy that Emily embarassed herself with last year by confessing her crush. Spencer didn’t exactly reciprocate, and now he’s the last person Emily wants to see.

Emily is ready to document the summer with her trusty camera and spend some time with Heather and Adam and try to ignore Spencer. When Blake, the cute college guy next door shows interest, Emily couldn’t be more thrilled. But is Blake more than just a summer fling? By the end of the summer, Emily will be ready for college and ready for love - but with who?

This is a great, breezy read, a perfect tagalong to a summer trip. The characters are very enjoyable and the romance is realistic.

"Picture Perfect" is published by HarperTeen. It is $5.99 and is for ages 12 and up.

Contact Amy Mendenhall at amendenhall@newsandsentinel.com. Visit her blog at www.newsandsentinel.com for both a new adult book and a new kids or teen book to be featured weekly. Visit amendenhall.livejournal.com to read past columns.

Summer Kids Books

2008-07-01T13:40:58Z

It’s kids’ book week! It’s summer vacation and time for road trips, camping and lazy days of summer. But just because school’s out doesn’t mean you have to stop reading! A small book that would fit in mom’s purse and can provide entertainment while waiting in a restaurant is ‘‘Mr. Tickle and the Dragon’’ from Roger Hargreaves and written and illustrated by Adam Hargreaves. Mr. Tickle returns home to see his house burned down. He tracks down the culprit – a big, scary dragon! But Mr. Tickle soon finds out that dragons have one weakness – being tickled. Mr. Tickle and the dragon soon become friends and the dragon finds better uses for his fire. ‘‘Mr. Tickle and the Dragon’’ is published by Price Stern Sloan and is $3.99. It is for ages 3 and up.

A classic book, ‘‘A Pocket for Corduroy’’ by Don Freeman, gets a new twist with packaging by Puffin Storytime. The book now comes with a read-along CD, perfect for car trips or for children just learning to read, and a seperate track with related songs. Cordurory and his little girl go to the laundromat to do the washing. While watching the little girl and her mom wash up, he realizes he doesn’t have any pockets. When he looks for something to make a pocket out of, he accidentally gets lost and ends up getting thrown in the wash with someone’s clothes! Luckily, he is found again and his little girl decides to make a pocket for him - with a name tag inside! The Puffin Storytime version of ‘‘A Pocket for Corduroy’’ is published by Puffin. It is $9.99 and is for ages 3 and up.

Judy Schachner’s famous Skippyjon Jones is back with a new book and game in one in ‘‘Skippyjon Jones and the Treasure Hunt.’’ Children will follow the story of Skippyjon Jones’ treasure hunt and will help him locate different items and try to match them up to a pair on the pop-up game board. Children will also learn the Spanish word of the items they are finding. Another great book to amuse kids either during a long car trip or in a restaurant on vacation. or even just a rainy day. ‘‘Skippyjon Jones and the Treasure Hunt’’ is published by Grosset Plue. It is $9.99 and is for ages 3 and up.

For some families, summer means an annual camping trip. Patricia Polacco’s New York Times best-selling family is back in ‘‘The Graves Family Goes Camping.’’ The Graves family is an unusual family that live in a dark house populated by the family spiders and Mr. Graves is a strange sort of scientist. This year, the Graves family is going on vacation to Lake Bleakmire to look for new species of swamp creatures and their children’s best friends, Seth and Sara, are going along, as well as all of the spiders and the family residential nanny - a giant venus flytrap. While this is no regular camping trip or camping trailer (it’s a bit like a TARDIS), children will enjoy the wacky hijinks and be amazed by the Graves family’s discovery! ‘‘The Graves Family Goes Camping’’ is published by Puffin. It is $6.99 and is for ages 6 to 8.

Another fun camping book is ‘‘Froggy Goes to Camp’’ by Jonathan London and illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz. Froggy isn’t sure he wants to spend the summer at Camp Run-A-Muck. He meets his counselor and his bunkmates. And then he finds his principal is the camp director. Yikes! But soon Froggy finds all of the fun activities at camp, like swimming and archery, and campfire songs. Now will he even want to go home? A book to ease camp fears, fans of Froggy will enjoy the new addition of the series. ‘‘Froggy Goes to Camp’’ is published by Viking. It is $15.99 and is for ages 3 and up.

Just because it’s summer doesn’t mean you should stop learning. Hudson Talbott takes a tongue-in-cheek look at learning about state birds in ‘‘United Tweets of America.’’ Children will learn about all 50 state birds and state facts in colorful, funny, and informative drawings. For example, did you know that Ohio and West Virginia share the same state bird - the northern cardinal? State facts run from the serious to the silly - West Virginia mentions the Mothman, and if you’re traveling across country or to a new state this summer, this book could kick off learning more about all of the United States of America. ‘‘United Tweets of America’’ is published by G.P. Putnam and Sons. It is $17.99 and is for ages 6 to 8.

New York Times bestselling author, Simon Winchester, adapts his adult best-seller, Krakatoa,’’ into an illustrated and factual book for kids in ‘‘The Day the World Exploded.’’ The book tells the story of the island volcanoic explosion in Indonesia, that aused tsunamis and sprayed volcanic ash into the air for miles and months later.The book gives insight into the time period, the Indonesian area, and volcanoes in general, and then follows the story through news briefs and incodotal information. ‘‘The Day the World Exploded’’ is published by HarperCollins. It is $22.99 and is for ages 10 to 14.

Contact Amy Mendenhall at amendenhall@newsandsentinel.com

Killer Bosses Are Just the Beginning

2008-06-19T13:37:28Z

Review from Graffiti Magazine:

Think your job is going to kill you with stress? For the employees of Murphy, Knox & Associates, the stress isn't just out to get them - their boss and fellow employees are - in Duane Swierczynski's adrenline-fueled "Severance Package."

Itás a hot Saturday in August and seven key employees have been called in to a special meeting. They go through their daily grind of getting ready - fighting hangovers, carpooling, trying to find a parking spot, and even going through the drive-thru. Jamie DeBroux is a new father and struggling through sleepless nights, Amy Felton has a crush on fellow employee Ethan Goins, who had a bit too much to drink last night. Roxanne Kurtwood is the recently promoted, hanging onto mentor Nichole Wise. Stuart McCrane is the geeky computer nerd who just wants to impress the boss. And Molly Lewis is the bossá latest secretary and "office spouse" to Jame DeBroux.

But one of them is planning a little something extra for the meeting.

When they all arrive at the meeting, they find their boss, David Murphy, has laid out a spread of Pepperidge Farm cookies and the ingredients for mimosas. And David tells them something that is unbelievable to some - they are a cover for an intelligence community. They are being shut-down, permanently, and they have two options. Drink the poision mimosas or take a bullet to the head. Escape is not an option, as the elevators have been shut down and the fire towers are rigged with chemical bombs.

One of the members of staff takes the easy way out, and then chaos ensues as one of them shoots David in the head. The rest of the employees scramble to find a way off of their floor and to safety little realizing that one of them is a former special forces agent, one of them is an undercover CIA agent, and another is a counter agent, going to kill them all one by one in an attempt to "interview" with another intelligence network that is watching their every move.

A high-octane thriller, this book twists and turns and ups the ante with each chapter. Combining crime fiction with a splashy blockbuster film style and a bit of dark humor, the story is a twisted blend of "The Office" meets "Kill Bill."

Dwierczynski has also written "The Wheel Man" and "The Blonde," two books Iám going to have to check out now, and is the new writer for the comic book monthly series "Cable."

"Severance Package" is published by St. Martin's Minotaur. It is $13.95 and 263 pages long.

Mystery in College, Camping Site

2008-06-16T14:10:23Z

Books reviewed: The Writing Class by Jincy Willett and Pitch Black by Susan Crandall

A college class is being threatened by one of its students in Jincy Willett’s "The Writing Class."

Amy Gallup was a rising star as a writer. Published at 22, she saw her career go downhill shortly after and hasn’t been able to write anything since. Now in her 50s, she is a reclusive loner whose only companion is her basset hound and her only contact with the outside world is teaching a fiction writing class at the local university extension.

Amy’s new class starts as usual – the registrar has messed up everyone’s names, one student leaves and never comes back during break, and there is a couple that is auditing the first class and definitely not coming back.

There is also the usual type of students – the lawyer who reads John Grisham, the young reporter who thinks writing fiction should come easy to him, the matronly "Dot" who seems to like everything put in front of her, the blonde airhead, the football coach who claims to read sci-fi but can’t name an author, the geeky science teacher, the jock, the retired school teacher that actually has talent, the pompous doctor who all ready has a novel completed that he’s sure Amy’s going to love, the sweet charity work, the boyish guy that wants to write children’s fiction, the smart-aleck that also shows promise, and of course, Carla, Amy’s repeat student that attends every workshop Amy hosts.

As the group begins critiquing each other’s work, they find some of the students have talent, some do not, and someone is just a bit twisted, as threats start showing up on both Amy’s answering machine, and in returned critiques to each student. Amy’s concern grows when a "prank" almost causes one of the students to be injured and shuts down the class. But the students have grown to love Amy and the class and want to continue working on their writing - crazed student or no - and continue to meet at each other’s houses. But when one of the students ends up dead, Amy and the others must figure out who’s writing points to a crazed killer.

A book that combines mystery and the realism of a critique group, it will appeal to mystery fans and writers alike. It is a bit reminscent of Agatha Christie novels, and even pokes a bit of fun at the genre.

“The Writing Class” is published by St. Martin’s Press. It is $24.95 and 326 pages long.

•

A journalist must help her adopted son prove his innocence in Susan Crandall’s “Pitch Black.”

When Madison Wade’s son Ethan goes on a camping trip with a friend and his stepfather, they are late in returning. The trip has ended in a death, as the stepfather has apparently fallen to his death off of a cliff. Ethan’s friend, Jordan, is near catatonic, and Ethan is determined to help him.

When the coroner’s report shows that the man was, in fact, beaten to death, the boys on the camping trip are suspects, especially Ethan. Madison struggles to prove his innocence, all the while her friend and would-be romantic relationship, Sheriff Gabe Wyatt, tries to uncover the truth of what really happened that night.

A romantic suspense novel of small towns and the secrets they hide, “Pitch Black” delivers a good mix of the two genres with interesting characters.

“Pitch Black” is published by Warner Forever. It is $6.99 and 386 pages long.

Contact Amy Mendenhall at amendenhall@newsandsentinel.com.

Read past columns at amendenhall.livejournal.com and visit her blog at www.newsandsentinel.com for a new book a week for your summer reading list!

Fantasy Novels to Take You Other Places

2008-06-09T14:01:34Z

Books reviewed: Mind th Gap by Christopher Golden, Feast of Fools by Rachel Caine

Christopher Golden and Tim Lebbon team up for a story taking place in the nooks and crannies of London in "Mind the Gap."

In this dark fantasy novel, young Jasmine Towne and her mother have been cared for by the fearful "Uncles" for as long as Jazz can remember. Her mother has raised her with paranoia all of her life, and Jazz is tense around everyone. She learns this is for good reason when she comes home to find her mother murdered by their caretakers and escapes into London’s underground and forgotten subway tunnels. There she runs into a tribe of street urchins and their leader, Harry Fowler, who calls themselves the United Kingdom. Making do by becoming street thieves when they do go up top, they live in the shadows of the tunnels, that are literally haunted by London’s past. Jazz soon finds a new family with the strange crew, and is pained with the "Uncles" track her down again. On the run, Jazz will soon learn that she has a destiny she cannot escape that ties into the father she never knew and the magic all around her.

Reminiscent of Neil Gaiman’s "Neverwhere" and the classic Dickens’ "Oliver Twist," this book gives the dark fantasy genre a gothic twist with Jazz’s adventure.

"Mind the Gap" is published by Bantam Spectra. It is $12 and 368 pages long.

•

Rachel Caine’s teen series, the Morganville Vampires, continues in "Feast of Fools."

Morganville is like no other town in Texas. It has been taken over completely by the vampires that occupy it. The remaining humans who live there must play by the rules and submit to blood donations and binding themselves to the care of one of the vampires in town or chance living free - and possibly being drained by any vampire once the sun goes down.

Claire Danvers ended up in Morganville when her parents thought going to a small-town college would be "safer." Now living with her boyfriend and son of a vampire slayer, and a newly-made vampire and his girlfriend, Claire has found a way to live in relative safety by binding herself to one of the town’s highest-ranking vampires.

Things go chaotic when Claire’s parents decide to move to town to be closer to their daughter the same day an ancient and powerful vampire, Bishop, comes to town, who happens to also be the father of Claire’s vampire. Claire is trying to keep her family and friends safe, but Bishop has a plan that comes to fruitation at an elaborate formal ball for all of the town’s vampires and their human dates. When the dust settles, the humans of Morganville may not be safe.

A very interesting series where the vampire population doesn’t hide from the humans and instead dominates them, Morganville also benefits from its plucky heroine and her friends. The unique premise and continuing storyline is enough to make me want to come back for more, and check out all of the books I missed.

"Feast of Fools" is published by NAL Jam. It is $5.99 and is 242 pages.

Contact Amy Mendenhall at amendenhall@newsandsentinel.com. Visit her blog at www.newsandsentinel.com for more reviews of the books of summer.

Magical Misadventures in Romance

2008-06-02T14:20:02Z

Books reviewed: The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen and The Importance of Being Married by Gemma Townley

New York Times bestselling author Sarah Addison Allen returns with another sweet novel with a hint of Southern magic in ‘‘The Sugar Queen.’’

Josey Cirrini, the wealthy daughter of the man credited for saving her North Carolina hometown, is a 27-year-old “old maid,” stuck living up to her widowed mother’s whims and burning her hopes and dreams in her closet full of sugary sweets and paperback novels and her hidden crush on her mailman. But when Josey goes to her hidden space for comfort, she finds someone else there, Della Lee Baker, a local waitress infamous for her mistakes and apparently hiding from them in Josey’s closet.

Through Della, Josey meets Chloe Finley, a woman who has an uncanny knack of having books appear just when she needs them most, and when her longtime boyfriend cheats on her, she needs help. But does she need a book or a friend?

As the two young women bond and attempt to help each other through the perils of romance, they find they have much in common. But why is Della staying so close to Josie?

A warm, delightful treat as sweet as the treats of its chapter headings, this book begs to be read in the shade with a glass of sweet tea.

‘‘The Sugar Queen’’ is published by Bantam. It is $22 and 276 pages long.

?

A woman finds herself needing a husband to claim an inheritance in ‘‘The Importance of Being Married’’ by Gemma Townley.

Jessica Wild’s kind deed of befriending an elderly woman, Grace, in her grandmother’s nursing home gives her an unexpected benefit — a clause in the will to award her with millions and a lavish house. The only problem? Jessica told Grace she was married to her boss, Anthony Milton, to thwart Grace’s matchmaking wishes. The money has been left to Mrs. Jessica Milton, not Jessica Wild. Jessica has 50 days to present Grace’s lawyer with her marriage license or forfeit all claims to the money. So she and her best friend hatch up a plan to win Jessica’s boss’ heart, who has previously paid her no attention whatsoever. But with the help of a ‘‘professional’’ woman, Jessica’s learns the art of seduction and actually gets Anthony’s attention. But does she want to marry anyone, let alone Anthony?

A funny book with a wry British sense of humor, Jessica’s misadventures are sure to bring a chuckle or two. And this is the first in a trilogy, so I can’t wait to see what other trouble Jessica will find herself in.

‘‘The Importance of Being Married’’ is published by Ballentine. It is $13 and 337 pages long.

Contact Amy Mendenhall at amendenhall@newsandsentinel.com. Visit her blog at www.newsandsentinel.com for weekly summer reads!

A Day in the Life of Chelsea Handler

2008-05-29T16:37:12Z

Review from Graffiti Blog:

A Day in the Life of Chelsea Handler

Email: "A Day in the Life of Chelsea Handler"
*To:		<--TO Email REQUIRED!
*From:		<--FROM Email REQUIRED!

Chelsea Handler tells it like it is in her dryly sarcastic voice in her new book, "Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea." From telling her third-grade class she is playing Goldie Hawn's daughter in the sequel to "Private Benjamin" somehow involving wild animals in the Galapagos Islands to working as a babysitter at age 12 and lying about her age, ending with her babysitting a 14-year-old, Chelsea's childhood stories are the stuff of comedic legend. And her family stories get even funnier and more strange as Chelsea spends a weekend with her parents and acts as her dadás good luck charm in selling his junker cars and takes a vacation with her father only to be mistaken as his new bride.

Chelsea changes it up with story of her time spent in prison for a DUI turned identity theft thanks to her snitching her sister's driver's license. As Chelsea tries to contact her aunt to make bail and bonds with her petite but frightening cellmate, the twisted laughs continue. From a prison kiss to her stint in dating Big Red, a red-haired guy that has a gorgeous body but terrible hair, to the guy who likes the dog sheás dog-sitting maybe a little too much, Chelsea's love life continues to be less than perfect and more than a little funny.

Chelsea's friends are ripe for story content too. While traveling with a friend to Britain, the two end up dining in the dark and getting kicked out for not wearing enough clothes. Then Chelsea tells about her quest for just a massage and getting mistaken for wanting something else while her friend ditched her and her use in regifting a bad present from a friend to a friend-of-a-friend who may have more issues than Chelsea.

And, of course, there's getting jumped at the airport. And migets.

These vignettes into the life of a comedienne are outrageous and hillarious. Handler has her own late-night show on E!, Chelsea Lately, and has written another book, "My Horizontal Life."

"Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea" is published by Simon Spotlight Entertainment. It is $24.95 and 272 pages long.

It's Kids' Book Week!

2008-05-29T16:34:18Z

The true story of a rescued puppy is told by a 15-year-old writer in ‘‘A Home for Dixie’’ by Emma Jackson.

Three little puppies are born looking for homes. Meanwhile, Emma wants a puppy of her very own, and finally convinces her parents that having a fish, a hamster and a guinea pig is not the same. They decide to go to a shelter to adopt a puppy, and there Emma finds the perfect puppy. She names the dog Dixie and they go off to make a new home together. But Dixie needs a little help transitioning, especially at night. Soon dog and owner learn they must take care of each other.

Cute photographs of the dog help bring this story to life for young readers.

‘‘A Home for Dixie’’ is published by HarperCollins. It is $16.99 and is for ages 4 to 8.

?

Award-winning creators Kate and Jim McMullan are back in ‘‘I’m Bad!’’ the story of a big, bad T-rex that shows that everyone big and bad needs their mother.

The dinosaur shows how big and bad he is by stomping around and scaring other dinosaurs. He’s hungry and he wants his dinner. But he can’t seem to find any other dinosaurs to be his dinner. Finally throwing a tantrum about it, he sees his mom and immediately tries to be big and tough again. But luckily mom comes through - with takeout!

Kids who like dinosaurs will love this book.

‘‘I’m Bad’’ is published by Joanna Cotler Books, an imprint of HarperCollins. It is $16.99 and for ages 4 to 8.

?

Marketed for kids but enjoyed by me is ‘‘The Dangerous Alphabet’’ by Neil Gaiman, noted comic book writer and novelist, and illustrated by Gris Grimly.

The story is a twisted alphabet (that doesn’t always follow the alphabet properly) featuring two young children’s strange journey through the twisted and the macabre. I can see young boys and those that enjoy scary stories getting a kick out of this, otherwise it’s a pretty new collector’s item for fans of Gaiman’s.

‘‘The Dangerous Alphabet’’ is published by HarperCollins. It is $17.99 and is for ages 5 and up.

?

Speaking of dangerous, it’s a dangerous dark world that Valkyrie Cain lives in, helping her deceased uncle’s associate track down bad guys and she couldn’t be happier in Derek Landy’s ‘‘Skulduggery Pleasant: Playing with Fire.’’

Valkyrie, formerly known as Stephanie Edgley, may be using a mirror image of herself to go to school for her, but she’s learning more than the rest of the world could imagine in her apprenticeship to her uncle’s former friend, Skulduggery Pleasant, who happens to be a living skeleton with a very nice car and a wizard detective. As Valkyrie keeps putting her life on the line to stop supernatural baddies, Skulduggery’s arch nemesis, Baron Vengeous, appears with a new fiendish plot to bring the Faceless Ones back to rule our realm using a strange and seemingly unstoppable creature called The Grotesquery. It’s up to Valkyrie and Skulduggery, with the help of some old friends, to put a stop to the plan.

But who is really pulling the strings behind this master plan?

This series is a fun paranormal action-adventure, full of twists and turns. Any fans of Harry Potter or for that matter, Harry Dresden, should give this book a try. It may be written for ages 10 and up, but it doesn’t talk down to the reader, leaving it a fun series truly for all ages.

‘‘Skulduggery Pleasant: Playing with Fire’’ is published by HarperCollins. It is $16.99.

?

New York Times bestselling author and Newbery Honor author Gail Carson Levine is back with a story in a strange mythological setting in ‘‘Ever.’’

When Kezi’s mother is sick, her family turns to their worship of the god Admat to save her by sacrificing the first person to congratulate them on her restored health. When Kezi’s elderly aunt unaware begins to, Kezi seals her fate.

But can fate be thwarted? For the boy Kezi is in love with his no ordinary goat herder but a god himself - Olus, the Akkan god of winds. If Kezi becomes a heroine and Olus her champion by performing seemingly impossible quests, Kezi can become an immortal like Olus. Is there enough time left? Are Kezi and Olus strong enough?

A story of mythological purportions, dealing with love, fate, and belief, fans of fantasy and the Greek myths are destined to enjoy this new take on an ancient world.

‘‘Ever’’ is published by HarperCollins. It is $16.99 and is for ages 10 and up.

?

A princess’ life isn’t all glass slippers and magic. Sometimes there is political intrigue and attempts at assassination, or so a young princess finds in Anne Osterlund’s ‘‘Aurelia.’’

There has been several near misses for young Aurelia, the crown princess of Tyralt, enough to worry her father. Hence her former classmate and friend, Robert, the son of the king’s former spy, is brought by to Tyralt to secretly investigate who could want to kill his beautiful friend.

Aurelia only wants to be free to live her own life and not be forced into an arranged political marriage. She is beginning to wish her stepsister, Melony, could inherit the kingdom so she could be free of her royal obligations and let her heart be free to love who it wants. Like Robert. But as the two friends begin to realize the depth of their feels for each other, a dangerous political plot comes to light that could change everything - and end Aurelia’s life for once and for all.

A blending of romance, drama, and mystery, ‘‘Aurelia’’ will thrill and delight readers. ‘‘Aurelia’’ is published by Speak, a division of Penguin. It is $8.99 and is for ages 12 and up.

?

Newbery Honor author Joan Bauer returns with the story of a teen who wants to uncover the truth at any cost in ‘‘Peeled.’’

Hildy Biddle and her friends take great pride in their high school newspaper and take their jobs as the staff very seriously. The want to scoop the local newspaper and get the town’s biggest story. Unfortunately, the town’s biggest story happens to be a ‘‘ghost’’ haunting an old house and writing dire signs nearby. The town of apple orchards is suddenly attracting more than just those that want a good applesauce, as a famous psyhic hears of the phenomenon and shows up. Even the local newspaper starts displaying wilder and wilder headlines. But Hildy isn’t so sure. She wants to track down the truth behind the story no matter what, and even enlists a former journalist’s help. But Hildy soon learns that the quest for the truth can come at a high price, and must discover how far she is willing to go.

A great mystery and a fiesty heroine makes this story a must-read.

‘‘Peeled’’ is published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons. It is $16.99 and is for ages 12 and up.

Contact Amy Mendenhall at amendenhall@newsandsentinel.com and read more kids’ books reviews at www.newsandsentinel.com

Thriller Novels To Scare, Chill

2008-05-19T14:40:58Z

Books reviewed: Strip for Murder by Max Allan Collins, Blind Rage by Terri Persons, A Kiss Before the Apocalypse by Thomas E. Sniegoski, The Host by Stephenie Meyer

Max Allan Collins is back with his hard-boiled detective Jack Starr and his ex-stripper turned comic strip syndicator stepmother Maggie in ‘‘Strip for Murder.’’

When a popular comic strip by Hal Rapp becomes a Broadway musical, a longtime rival, Sam Fizer, gets more than a bit upset, especially when his soon-to-be-ex-wife is cast in the play.

Fizer ends up dead in an apparent suicide, but no one believes it, especially when the right-handed man would have had to have shot himself with the left-hand, and it looks like Rapp might be to blame. But is it a frame-up? It’s up to Jack Starr to find his way through the maze of bitter artists, gold-digging women, loan sharks and leg-breakers, and jealousy.

Combining comic-strips and old-fashioned detective novels, Collins’ style is standout and the world his characters inhabit is great fun. Accompanied by artwork by Terry Beatty, it comes to life off the pages like a Dick Tracy story. The ending is great fun with its panel artwork with a 'we know who did it, do you?’ wink to the reader.

‘‘Strip for Murder’’ is published by Berkley. It is $14 and 265 pages long.

•

An FBI agent tracks down a serial killer with a penchant for drowning his victims in Terri Persons’ “Blind Rage.”

Agent Bernadette Saint Clare doesn’t believe that a string of young women committing suicide by jumping off bridges are by their own hand — especially after women turn up drowned in their bathtubs by someone they had a romantic encounter with. Saint Clare’s boss and friend, Garcia, agrees with her and suggests she use all of the tools she has available to solve the case - including one most agents don’t know about. Saint Clare has “second sight” - the ability to touch an object and see through the perspective of the person who touched the object last. Using a scarf found at a suicide scene, Saint Clare sees this is no ordinary case and begins to track down the people who saw the dead women last, including a local college professor who talks about suicide in literature and a psychiatrist who is being overly uncooperative, but for what reason?

Saint Clare’s story blends a touch of paranormal with the real-world detective novel, much like the television show ‘‘Medium.’’ A page turner with twists until the last page, ‘‘Blind Rage’’ is a great addition to the thriller genre.

‘‘Blind Rage’’ is published by DoubleDay. It is $24.95 and 340 pages long.

•

Averting the apocalypse is all in a day’s work of this private investigator in Thomas E. Sniegoski’s wonderfully titled, ‘‘A Kiss Before the Apocalypse.’’

Remy Chandler thinks he’s trailing another cheating husband, but what he finds is a visionary who has seen the looming apocalypse and who kills himself in front of Remy. But there’s one problem - he can’t die even though he suffered fatal wounds. It’s as if death is missing.

And that’s when Remy gets a call from his former associates. Remy is actually Remiel — an angel who chose to live on Earth among the humans. The other Seraphim blame his ’going native’ as a catalyst for the Angel of Death, Israfil, doing the same. But with souls in torment for being unable to move on, including his own human wife, Remy begins to track down Israfil and discovers much more than a missing angel, but a conspiracy to start an apocalypse and destroy mankind.

A fantasy crime noir tale of apocalyptic proportions, this book is at turns frightening, tender, heartrending, and full of twists and turns. This is the start of a great new series.

‘‘A Kiss Before the Apocalypse’’ is published by Roc. It is $14 and 290 pages long.

•

An alien invasion is the backdrop of this novel dealing with love, betrayal and what it means to be human in bestselling author Stephenie Meyer’s ‘‘The Host.’’

Instead of looking at the invasion of Earth through the remaining Earthling’s eyes, Meyer instead focuses on Wanderer, a ‘‘Soul,’’ a parasitic alien species that implants itself into the host body of the dominant lifeforms of the planet they invade and overtakes their minds. By the time the book starts, the Souls have already taken over Earth and there is only a small pocket of untouched humans left, struggling to survive.

Wanderer is implanted into Melanie, one of the those humans, in the hopes of uncovering their location. But Wanderer finds that Melanie will not fade away and instead, fights for dominance of the body. Wanderer begins to be overwhelmed by previous unknown emotions, especially when thinking about Melanie’s brother, Jamie, and her lover, Jared, and does the unthinkable — she teams up with Melanie to track down the humans to be with them again. There she is met by distrust and hate, especially from Ian, a bodyguard assigned to her.

But what Wanderer and Melanie don’t know is a Seeker Soul is tracking her (and the humans) down.

A gripping novel of humanity, Meyer gives a new spin on science-fiction by giving it a literary bent and a twist of romance. Wanderer and Melanie manage to both be sympathetic characters, even though they are on opposite sides.

‘‘The Host’’ is published by Little, Brown and Company. It is $25.99 and 640 pages long.

•

Contact Amy Mendenhall at amendenhall@newsandsentinel.com. Visit her blog at www.newsandsentinel.com to see Jeri Smith-Ready’s upcoming guest blog, and visit amendenhall.livejournal.com for past columns.

June Reading Wishlist

2008-05-12T22:33:14Z

I'm a posting fool today!

The Books I Want to Read in June:
1. Face Value by Kathleen Baird-Murray - a women's fic about fashion and journalism. Sign me up!

2. The Importance of Being Married by Gemma Townley - Women's fic about a woman has to be married to get an inheritance. Hmmm....

3. Severance Package by Duane Swierczynski - a mystery/thriller about a group of office workers about to get picked off, literally. Sounds like The Office meets a horror movie. I REALLY want to read this!

4. Sweet Love by Sarah Strohmeyer - Romance. I read a previous book of hers and enjoyed it.

5. The Writing Class by Jincy Willett - Mystery having to do with writing. Gee, why would I like that?

6. Whacked by Jules Asner - Mystery having to do with celebs. A book that blends my E! watching? Fun!

7. Killing Bridezilla by Luara Levine - Another mystery. What's up with me and mysteries this month?

8. Mind the Gap by Christopher Golden and Tim Lebbon - urban fantasy by one of my favorite Buffy-book writers about a woman caught in another world. Could be scary. You ever read Golden's vampire works? Eech!

9. Falling Out of Fashion by Karen Yampolsky - another women's fic about a fashion and journalism. They keep writing 'em, I'll keep reading them.

Already On The Shelf:

1. Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen - Reading now. I loved her last book, Garden Spells, and am enjoying this one so far. Her books are gentle romances with a hint of magic. Nice, relaxing stories. The Led Zeppelin of romance books.

2. Tall Tales and Wedding Veils by Jane Graves - A couple accidentally gets married. I love those kind of books. And I think I've read her books before and enjoyed them.

3. Weddings Can Be Murder by Christie Craig - What's up with the wedding murder mysteries? I don't know, but it sure is fun and timely! And I'm pretty sure I've read Craig's books before too.

4. Pitch Black by Susan Crandall - Murder Mystery!

5. Bound by Shadow by Anna Windsor - NYPD and paranormal. Sounds fun!

Bring Out the Claws

2008-05-12T15:35:30Z

Review from Graffiti Magazine: Rogue by Rachel Vincent

I knew I was emotionally invested in Rachel Vincent’s “Rogue” when I was getting angry and upset with how the other characters were treating Faythe. I found myself wanting to defend her actions and her mistakes to a group of fictional people.

So I was hooked.

“Rogue” is the sequel to Vincent’s equally engrossing “Stray” - a story of a Pride of werecats and in particular, the Alpha’s daughter, Faythe, who escaped her family’s hold on her in search of a normal life at college, complete with roommates and boyfriend. In”Stray,” Faythe found her old life coming back in the form of her ex-boyfriend, Marc, who also happened to be her father’s enforcer, and was trying to protect her from a dangerous non-Pride cat, a Stray. Faythe’s independent streak and well, brattiness, ended up putting her in danger and she was kidnapped by the Stray. And Faythe had to grow up fast and became a very interesting character.

Now, in “Rogue,” Faythe has settled back into Pride life, at least for now. She and Marc are back together and working together to round up Strays that invade her fatherás territory and she has cut all strings to her past at the college.

But when Faythe and Marc start finding dead Strays, they investigate further and find a link with missing human women - who bear an uncanny resemblance to Faythe. All of Faythe’s actions are under scrutiny by her Pride, her father, and Marc, and relationships are strained to the breaking point.

Faythe is such an engrossing character in that she’s not perfect. She makes mistakes, sometimes big ones that affect more than just her, and may not even be aware of it. But she tries to move on and fix things, and you have to like that in a character. She might be a supernatural creature, but she has ordinary human fears and desires - not sure about wanting to commit, wanting her independence, wanting to do her own thing and not what her family expects - and that makes her highly relatable. Vincent’s strength lies in creating these wonderful, flawed characters who practically step off the pages, putting her on the list of authors to watch.

The ending doesn’t exactly end, setting itself up for the next book, “Pride,” coming out this fall, which frankly, can’t get here soon enough for me.

“Rogue” is published by Mira Books. It is $6.99 and 394 pages long.

Netherwood by Michele Lang

2008-05-12T15:33:32Z

Review from Graffiti Magazine blog:

A far-off future where people can be downloaded into a hive consciousness of computers and a mega-conglomerate rules all is the setting of Michele Lang's science-fiction romance, "Netherwood."

Talia Fortune has spent enough time in the virtual reality Netherwood as her avatar personna, Amazonia, that she has become attached to the illicit pleasures of that world - fighting, romance and danger, with her cyber lover, Avenger. But Talia's Real position is sheriff and as the primary shareholder of FortuneCorp. Her grandmother and employer, Violet, who has recently forgone her body and being downloaded into the computer hive mind, gives Talia the task of tracking down a cyber outlaw Kovner in the Real, and after the last encounter with Avenger, Talia's beginning to suspect they are one in the same.

Traveling to the off-world colony, Fresh Havens, she meets with her uncle and finds that Fresh Havens is being sabotaged by the people hiding out in Gray Forest. Traveling there to put a stop to the saboteurs once and for all, she finds Kovner, who tells her something unbelievable - the computers of FortuneCorp are trying to take over and get rid of humanity and she is key to saving his people. Talia refuses to believe him though she still has feelings for him, but when circumstances begin to lead her to believe he is right, will she have the courage to stand and fight against seemingly impossible odds?

A fun blend of science-fiction scares, honorable outlaws and romance, "Netherwood" is reminscent of "Matrix" and "Terminator" movies with a bit of "Robin Hood" thrown in. It's a cool page turner that could keep you up all night reading.

"Netherwood" is published under Dorchester Publishing's Shomi line, all combining science-fiction, paranormal, action-adventure and romantic elements. It is $6.99 and is 303 pages long.

Women's Interests, Paranormal Combine in Fiction

2008-05-12T15:31:56Z

Not under this headline in the newspaper, I would say whatever copy editor wrote the headline didn't bother to read the story as it was "Books that describe ways of living, enjoying life" What does that even mean?

Books reviewed: Don't Hex with Texas by Shanna Swendson, These Boots Were Made for Strutting by Lisa Cach, Gemma Halliday and Melanie Jackson, Wicked Game by Jeri Smith-Ready and From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris.

Oh, please do visit my blog on the newspaper's website http://www.newsandsentinel.com/page/blogs.detail/display/188.html to see Shanna Swendson's gues blog this week, and Jeri Smith-Ready's in upcoming weeks! Any authors out there interested in guest blogging, feel free to contact me here.

That’s what Katie Chandler learns in the third book in Shanna Swendson’s blend of paranormal and corporate women’s fiction in “Don’t Hex With Texas.”

Katie left her big city job at one of the top magic firms, Magic, Spells and Illusions, Inc. and her boyfriend wizard Owen Palmer so he could concentrate on his work without her being a distraction. Her hometown is supposedly free of magic influence, and Katie is ready to settle down working at the family store and living off the magic grid.

Imagine her surprise when she sees a hooded wizard doing magic on main street! Katie’s magic immunity allows her to see through the invisibility spells and uncover that something magical is afoot, something related to Magic Inc.’s top competitor. She calls for backup, and of course, Owen appears. As the two sort out their feelings and the mystery, Katie learns the magic is a bit too close to home.

Swendson continues to spin the paranormal genre on its ear with her plucky and bright heroine and her family.

“Don’t Hex With Texas” is published by Ballantine Books. It is $14 and 304 pages long.

?

Enchanted shoes turn women to love in the anthology “These Boots Were Made for Strutting” by award-winning authors Lisa Cach, Gemma Halliday and Melanie Jackson.

In Lisa Cach’s “A Rose By Any Other Name” a pair of shoes transforms a geeky landscaper named Kelsey who can’t seem to be able to string three words together correctly in the presense of a man, to sexy siren Rosa, who has client Jack begging for more. But Kelsey doesn’t want someone who doesn’t want the real her, so should she settle for boring blind date Mark? Should she put Rosa to bed forever?

In Gemma Halliday’s “So I Dated An Axe Murderer,” after wearing a pair of shoes purchased at hiheelia, Kya immediately is scouted to become a model with Parker Models and soon is doing photoshoots and flirting with the equally hot Blake. But Blake’s ex-girlfriend was also a model and has a lot of Kya’s likes and dislikes. Unfortunately, she’s also now dead - after drowning in Blake’s pool and Kya has the uncomfortable feeling she’s reliving the deceased model’s life! Is Kya going to meet a similar fate?

In Melanie Jackson’s “And They Danced,” Faith finds herself attending a dance competition with her cute neighbor after a pair of shoes mysteriously appear on her door. Not only do these shoes look hot, but they know how to move and now so does Faith! Though hot Axel also has another hot dance partner on the floor, Sasha, Faith can’t forget the chemistry between them, on and off the dance floor. Is it the shoes or is it something else?

Perfect for lovers of romance, magic, and fine footwear, these short stories may inspire a trip to the companion website, http://http://www.hiheelia.com'>http://www.hiheelia.com'>http://www.hiheelia.com'>www.hiheelia.com for a new pair of shoes too!

“These Boots Were Made for Strutting” is published by Dorchester. It is $6.99 and 368 pages long.

?

Some people take the rock’n’roll mantra of live hard, die young, and leave a good looking corpse a little too seriously.

That’s what Ciara Griffin finds out in Jeri Smith-Ready’s “Wicked Game,” a hip and edgy addition to the paranormal genre that gives vampires a rock’n’roll spin.

Ciara is a (somewhat) reformed con artist who’s looking for a marketing internship and finds one in a dying radio station, WMMP, that is in danger of being bought out by a larger conglommerate if something isn’t done. Hired to put a new spin on the old station, Ciara meets the DJs who not only have severe OCD problems, but also seem to be stuck in the era of music they play. They dress, talk, and act like time has stood still for them. Maybe that’s because it has - Ciara learns her new co-workers are all vampires. She dismisses this as a joke until the hot grunge vampire, Shane, makes a pass at her - and ends up biting her. Instead of running, Ciara is intrigued by both the station and Shane, and sets up a marketing campaign for the newly christened WVMP that tells the truth about the DJs. Listeners love it, if don’t quite believe it, and ratings have never been higher. But someone out there does believe the stories - a group of isolationist vampires who believe that Ciara’s vampires need to be taken off the air - one way or the other.

“Wicked Game” practically bleeds rock’n’roll off the pages, with its own playlist, song titles as chapter headings, and general atmosphere. And Ciara is an intriguing heroine, someone who isn’t a good girl pretending to be ’bad,’ but a bad girl pretending to be good.

Be sure to check out wvmpradio.com to visit the vampire DJs, listen to podcasts and check out WVMP merchandise and visit jerismithready.com for more on the vampires and the author herself.

“Wicked Game” is published by Pocket Books. It is $14 and 384 pages long.

?

New York Times’ bestselling author Charlaine Harris returns to her Sookie Stackhouse series in “From Dead to Worse.”

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and a vampire summit turned deadly, Sookie and her friends are still picking up the pieces of their lives. The weretiger that Sookie had been dating is missing and the vampire queen of Louisana is still on the mend. And Sookie just met someone who changes her life-view of herself and her family. Meanwhile, the local werewolf packs are having their own troubles, and Sookie gets dragged into the mess when there are two attempts made on her life. Sookie’s brother Jason’s usual troubles also take its toll on her and just when that is straightened out, the vampires’ world is turned upside down when a vampire coup takes place, and once again, Sookie is standing in the middle. Is it time for Sookie to put some distance between herself and her friends?

There are multiple problems stacking up for Sookie, but no one overall like in previous books. Fans of the series will devour it like a vamp drinking TrueBlood.

“From Dead to Worse” is published by Ace. It is $24.95 and 359 pages long.

Contact Amy Mendenhall at amendenhall@newsandsentinel.com'>amendenhall@newsandsentinel.com'>amendenhall@newsandsentinel.com'>amendenhall@newsandsentinel.com or visit her blog at http://http://www.newsandsentinel.com.'>http://www.newsandsentinel.com.'>http://www.newsandsentinel.com.'>www.newsandsentinel.com. to read guest blogs by Shanna Swendson and Jeri Smith-Ready in upcoming weeks. Read past columns at amendenhall.livejournal.com

New Women's Fiction on the Horizon

2008-05-05T16:33:01Z

Books reviewed: Lulu Meets God and Doubts Him, The Best Day of Someone Else's Life, Hollywood Ending

Some great new women’s fiction books are on the horizon.

“The Devil Wears Prada” collides with the art world in this behind-the-scenes tell-all style novel, “Lulu Meets God And Doubts Him” by Danielle Ganek, now available in paperback.

“Gallerina” Mia McMurray took the starter job of receptionist for her temperamental British boss, Simon, as a way to step into the art world herself as a painter. But she hasn’t touched her own work since coming to New York and really doesn’t harbor any secret desire to become a gallery owner herself, and is adrift. She watches as a bemused witness as the contemporary art world in Manhattan explodes over the new ’it’ artist, Jeffrey Finelli, whose art wasn’t near as interesting until the artist himself died. Now suddenly everyone wants one of his pieces, but the biggest fight is over the painting, ‘‘Lulu Meets God and Doubts Him.’’ A wealthy collector, a name actor, a famed Irish artist, an aspiring art world ’shark’ and even the muse herself, Lulu, all want to own the painting.

As Mia watches from the sidelines, she ends up befriending Lulu, the artist’s niece, and toying with a relationship with a cute art adviser. But as the art world turns it eye on the heir apparent to the Finelli family, Mia can’t help but wonder, what about her dreams and her own art?

For those who enjoy a look at the other side of Manhattan and the art scene, this book is a peek into that world. Though a bit of anti-climactic ending, it is an interesting new take in the genre of bad bosses and trendy jobs.

“Lulu Meets God And Doubts Him” is published by Plume. It is $14 and 277 pages long.

?

For all of those women who have had to suffer through hideous and expensive bridesmaid dresses to stand up for a friend on the ’best day of their life,’ they will laugh out loud at the experiences of a serial bridesmaid and wedding guest in Kerry Reichs’ “The Best Day of Someone Else’s Life.”

Vi Connelly started her romance with weddings as a flowergirl at her aunt’s third wedding. She finds her new adult responsibilities in her best friends’ from high school’s back-to-back weddings - all in a three-week period! Vi finds herself spending elaborate sums of money on ugly dresses and shoes she’ll never wear again (all in navy blue!) and participating in theme showers, bachelorette parties and preparing her speeches for the occasion. Just when she thinks its over, she’s pulled back in again as various acquaintances proceed to invite her to weddings that she feels obligated to attend - one a month for a year! That’s a lot of flying, expense, and wedding presents to buy, not to mention dates.

This leads Vi to try to rekindle her romance with her high school boyfriend that she’s never let go of, despite her friends’ and families warnings on the subject. Whether from that or overdose of wedding cake, Vi’s soon saying bah humbug to the whole ordeal. Is Vi’s romance with romance dead or can someone else revive it?

A fun concept and relatable to all of those who have ever attended a wedding or been in the wedding party, it is sure to get a laugh. And the press release sent out in the form of an invitation to be a bridemaid was hilarious and well-thought.

“The Best Day of Someone Else’s Life” is published by Avon. It is $13.95 and 464 pages long.

?

Light romance set against the backdrop of London is the world of Robyn Sisman’s “A Hollywood Ending.”

Paige Carson, daughter of a legendary rocker and an actress mother is stretching her own wings in Hollywood. Already honored with an Oscar, Paige is on her way to a successful career, but she’s starting to be talked about as “difficult” and the only roles being sent her way is that of the girl needing rescued. When she takes a part as a CIA agent, she thinks she has finally found a part with merit, only to be sabotaged by her leading man and finds her part slowly dwindling. Having enough, she walks away and hopes her agent can find her better work.

But competition is fierce and Paige isn’t the ’it’ girl anymore. Add to the fact that her rock star father is having a new baby with his young wife, and Paige decides a change of scenery is in order and heads to London for a chance to do Shakespeare on stage.

Paige likes her role as Rosalind and even her new co-stars, though she’s finding the work to be more difficult than she thought. Add in a landlord who is also a documentary-maker who thinks Paige is nothing but an American bimbo, and Paige has her work cut out for her.

But is romance blossoming as well?

A light, romantic comedy with exciting settings, this book has all the makings of a great summer beach read.

“A Hollywood Ending” is published by Plume Books. It is $14 and 307 pages long.

Contact Amy Mendenhall at amendenhall@newsandsentinel.com or visit her blog at www.newsandsentinel.com. Read past columns at amendenhall.livejournal.com

It's Kids' Books Week!

2008-04-28T15:42:40Z

Books reviewed: The Seer of Shadows by Avi - SCARED ME!, Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach, Fancy Nancy's Favorite Words

Scaredy Squirrel is back in Melanie Watt’s “Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach.”

Scaredy Squirrel, the squirrel who invents new things to worry about, never goes to the beach. It’s too scary and crowded. He might be attacked by flocks of seagulls, tribes of jellyfish, mobs of lobsters, packs of pirates or herds of sea monsters! It’s much better to recreate the beach from the safety of his own backyard.

But while he can turn kitty litter into sand and fill up an inflatable pool with water, one thing is missing - the sound of the ocean. He needs a shell to recreate that sound, and where do you find shells? At the beach.

As Scaredy overcomes his fears to get a shell, he finds there was nothing to be scared about and has fun, and children can learn that lesson as well.

“Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach” is published by Kids Can Press. It is $15.95 and is for ages 5 to 8.

?

An alphabet book and an entertaining guide to “speaking fancy” comes in “Fancy Nancy’s Favorite Words from Accessories to Zany” by Jane O’Connor and illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser.

The national best-selling team behind the “Fancy Nancy” stories is back and my kids couldn’t be happier.

Children can expand on their vocabulary with a helpful guide from Nancy herself and kid-friendly explanations. They also use the word in a sentence for better definition.

“Fancy Nancy’s Favorite Fancy Words” is published by HarperCollins. It is $12.99 and is for ages 4 to 7.

?

Newberry medalist author Avi brings a scary story for kids in “The Seer of Shadows.”

It’s 1872 in New York and Horace has been apprenticed to Enoch Middleditch to work as a photographer. Horace is thrilled to be working with the new science. They are commissioned by a wealthy society matron Mrs. Frederick Von Macht to take a portrait of herself - for her dead daughter, Eleanora. She believes her daughter’s spirit is restless and wants to put the picture up by her tomb to reassure her. Middleditch believes this is the perfect opportunity to make a bit of extra money using a double exposure and asks Horace to secretly take a photo of Eleanora’s picture to use. But in taking pictures, Horace unlocks something else - both in the spirit world and inside himself - that he may not be able to stop. Turning to the Von Macht’s servant girl, Pegg, he learns that Eleanora’s death cannot be explained away, and if Eleanora is back, she is back for one thing - revenge.

Blending historical facts about the time period and technology and a chilling ghost story, Avi will capture readers’ interest and will haunt them after the very last page.

“The Seer of Shadows” is published by HarperCollins. It is $16.99 and is for ages 8-12, however, I would only recommend it for the 12-year-old or older set. With themes of child death and a plotline that is comperable to recent horror movies like “The Ring” and “Shutter,” I’m afraid it would scare younger readers.

Contact Amy Mendenhall at amendenhall@newsandsentinel.com. Visit her blog at www.newsandsentinel.com or read past columns at amendenhall.livejournal.com

Lost Souls by Lisa Jackson

2008-04-22T19:30:37Z

New York Times bestselling author Lisa Jackson delivers a chilling mystery with more than a few twists and turns in her new novel, "Lost Souls."

Kristi Bentz is trying to mend from her traumatic past of almost being murdered not once, but twice by a serial killer. Returning to college to pursue her degree and dream of being a true crime writer, Kristi finds the All Saints campus a bit more updated. The English department is full of hip, hot new male professors that are bringing the college co-eds in for classes such as "The Influence of Vampirism in Modern Culture and Literature" and Shakespeare lectures. Not to mention the bizarre morality plays staged like dark goth dramas. Kristi settles in to study, but is shaken to find that her forensics class is taught by none other than her ex-boyfriend, Jay McKnight.

Kristi is approached by an old roommate who knows of her detective father and Kristi's on penchant for investigating crimes, about some girls who have gone missing. All four girls had troubled pasts and the police are willing to believe they have ran off, but Kristi isn't so sure, especially when she finds out she is living in the apartment of one of those missing. Kristi soons hears of an elite club who wear vials of blood around their necks and hold secret meetings and she is determined to break the inner circle to find out what happened to the girls and why. But little does Kristi know, she is being stalked on campus and off, and it may be difficult for her to untangle herself from this web, especially once she turns to Jay for help.

This book's strength lies in its dark and twisted maze of mystery, as it jumps from Kristi's point of view and that of the killer's. Is there something paranormal going on the small college campus or is it just a deranged mind? The reader is not sure until the very end, and though you see things from the killer's point of view, their identity is not revealed until the very end.

A gothic tale of murder and romance on a college campus setting, "Lost Souls" is a thrilling ride.

"Lost Souls" is published by Kensington Books. It is $22 and 403 pages long.

My Bookshelves Be Overflowing, part 2!

2008-04-21T22:40:19Z

If I thought I had alot before, I have even more now! My updated to-be-read pile:

Reading Now: A Hollywood Ending by Robyn Sisman

May:
Wicked Game - Jeri Smith-Ready
Omega Sol - Scott Mackay
Earth Ascendant - Sean Williams
Cruel Zinc Melodies - Glen Cook
Key to Conspiracy - Talia Gryphon
Armed and Magical - Lisa Shearin
A Kiss Before the Apocalypse - Thomas E. Sniegoski (may be best title ever!)
From Dead to Worse- Charlaine Harris
Dangerous Kiss - Sarah McKerrigan

YA May Books:
Skullduggery Pleasant: Playing With Fire - Derek Landy
Ever - Gail Carson Levine
Ink Exchange - Melissa Marr
Aurelia - Anne Ossterlund

June:
Blood Noir - Laura K. Hamilton (though somewhere else it says May 27, so who knows?)
Bound by Shadow - Anna Windsor (actually front says 6/24 back says July release, so who knows?)
Pitch Black - Susan Crandall
Weddings Can Be Murder - Christie Craig (front says June release, inside says May 27. What's going on?)
Tall Tales and Wedding Veils - Jane Graves
Lover Enshrined - J.R. Ward - it's 534 pages long!

July:
Hidden - Eve Kenin (Shomi!)
Eternal Pleasure - Nina Bangs
Pleasure Unbound - Larissa Ione
Magic in His Kiss - Shari Anton
My Wicked Enemy - Carolyn Jewel

August:
Out of Time - Samantha Graves
A Highlander Never Surrenders - Paula Quinn
Triple Exposure - Colleen Thompson
Countdown - Michelle Maddox (Shomi!)

But that doesn't mean that I won't be looking for more! (;

Succubus in the City by Nina Harper

2008-04-21T16:48:41Z

From my Graffiti Magazine blog:

Stylish women sipping cocktails at the latest it restaurant, wearing the latest designer work, shoes, and carrying the right bags, complaining about the quality of available men while working their glamourous jobs at fashion magazines and investment firms.

Sounds like a scene from Sex in the City?

That is the life that Lily inhabits along with her best gal pals, Sybil, Desi, and Eros. There's just one big difference - she's also a succubus, and all of her friends work for the woman downstairs, nicknamed "Martha" in Nina Harper's new book, "Succubus in the City."

After centuries of serving up all the bad boys, cheating husbands, and chauvinist pigs to their just desserts, Lily's getting tired of it all. She just wants a man of her own - someone to cuddle her after a long day, someone who sees her without makeup and in sweatpants, someone to actually DATE and love. But it's hard enough for a single woman in New York to find a quality man, let alone a single woman who serves the forces of darkness. Yet Lily thinks she's got a prospect in Nathan Coleman, a private investigator with a love of ancient languages. Her friends and boss keep warning her to tread carefully, but Lily, with an out of her contract in sight (true love really can save her soul) she's persuing Nathan while trying to fill her quota for the month and outwit a group called the Burning Men that want to put a stop to she and her friends - forever.

A wicked, devilish delight, this book is sure to please fashionistas and dark fantasy readers alike.

"Succubus in the City" is published by Del Ray. It is $6.99 and 392 pages long.

The Devil Wears Chef Whites

2008-04-21T16:45:36Z

From Graffiti Magazine:

My obsession with “Kitchen Nightmares” and “Hell’s Kitchen,” not to mention “Top Chef” when Chef Gordon Ramsay’s not on, has taken its toll. Not only do my friends tease me about my inappropriate crush on the hot-headed celebrity chef, but now I’m going out of my way to find books to feed my need to read about making the perfect salmon nicoise and roasted monkfish, both things I’ve never eaten and don’t plan to in the near future.

So since I don’t cook, I’ve turned to looking for fiction books set in restaurants. It was with this in mind that I headed down to my local bookstore on the appropriate Tuesday to pick up a copy of Heather and Rose MacDowell’s “Turning Tables,” which takes working in a restaurant and gives it the “Devil Wears Prada” spin.

Erin Edwards was a marketing executive until downsizing ended her job. Now someone who used to dine at the latest ‘it’ Manahattan hotspot is working at one thanks to a family friend — and seeing how the other half lives.

A would-be actor who is also a waiter at the up-and-coming Roulette, takes Erin under his wing, determined to teach her the ropes to help turn her from flop into fantastic. Erin soon learns how to deal with exacting customers, a demanding and feuding owner and his wife, a perpetually cranky chef and all the rest of the waitstaff, not to mention the dog her best friend dumped on her.

Erin’s soon becoming a competent waitress and crushing on one of the assistant chefs in the kitchen, Phil, despite the fact that generally the waitstaff and chefs do not mix. A handsome customer who also happens to be a television producer enters the mix, though Erin feels out of his league. As Erin deals with romantic complications, a critical review shakes her foundation at work and she finds herself in hot water with both the owner and the chef. Could Erin soon be out of a job?

A great addition to the ‘wicked boss’ genre, “Turning Tables” is sure to be relatable to anyone who has ever had to wait tables, whether for hip eateries or family restaurants, and people who watch way too many shows related to cooking. The authors are identical twins who have worked at restaurants so you know it’s realistic too. This book just might make you tip well next time you eat out.

“Turning Tables” is published by Dial Press. It is $24 and 324 pages long.

Mysteries, Thrillers to Keep Pages Turning

2008-04-21T16:24:22Z

Books reviewed: Pursuit by Elizabeth Jennings, Hold Tight by Harlan Coben, Adam by Ted Dekker

A woman on the run meets a wounded soul to connect to in Elizabeth Jennings’ “Pursuit.”

Charlotte Court stumbles upon her wealthy father’s murder by a business associate. Now she is blamed for the crime and on the run, not only from the police, but from Robert Haine, the real murderer, and his assassin, Barrett. Fleeing to Mexico, Charlotte finds solace there under an assumed name and buries her sorrows in her painting and people-watching on the beach. One day, she sees a man on crutches at the beach, pushing himself to swim laps and do pushups and is entranced by his drive. She learns his name is Matt and they begin a long-distance flirtatous relationship and finally meet when Charlotte is injured and almost drowns.

Matt only wants to love Charlotte, but the pain from her past keeps her distant. And little does she know, but Barrett is closing in on her. Will Charlotte take a chance on Matt before it’s too late?

A suspenseful romance, readers of Julie Garwood will enjoy this, and the vacation-like atmosphere also makes for a great beach read.

“Pursuit” is published by Grand Central Publishing. It is $6.99 and 352 pages long.

?

How much do you really want to know what you’re kids are doing? That is the subject of bestselling author Harlan Coben’s “Hold Tight.”

Tia and Mike Baye are finding their son, Adam, is more and more disconnected with them. Trying everything and failing, they are afraid he could go the route of a friend who recently committed suicide through an overdose. They decide to track his email and messages as a way of keeping an eye on him. Then a message from an unknown friend and then a note about a party cause them to worry. As Mike attempts to track his son, he ends up disappearing and Mike is badly beaten. Where did Adam go and why?

Meanwhile, the boy next door is in need of a kidney transplant, and Mike is his doctor. Trying to save his son and this boy is proving difficult, especially when a family secret comes out about the neighbors. And his daughter’s best friend, the subject of abuse after a teacher makes a stupid comment, is unraveling fast, and no one seems to know what to do. Take all of that and the body of woman beaten to death and links begin to occur for Mike and his friends and family.

A tale of twists and turns in suburbia, Coben brings mystery close to home.

“Hold Tight” is published by Dutton. It is $26.95 and 416 pages long.

?

A Special Agent goes to extremes to track down a serial killer in New York Times bestselling author Ted Dekker’s “Adam.”

Daniel Clark has spent much of his career tracking down the killer of many young women through a rare strain of menegitis who leaves only one clue behind - the name Eve. His obsession has cost him his marriage, but he finally may be closing in on the Eve killer. One night he actually does uncover a living victim and in attempting to save her, sees the killer’s face - right before he is shot in the head.

Daniel is clinically dead for twenty minutes, and when he comes back finds that he cannot remember the identity of the killer. With the help of his new partner, Lori Ames, Daniel tries to shock his mind back into remembering - through drugs and even death. What Daniel uncovers might be a trick of his injured mind or something much more terrifying.

And then his ex-wife is taken by Eve.

Dekker is a master of thrilling suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat or up all night reading, and this book is no exception with its blend of crime investigation and supernatural horror.

“Adam” is published by Thomas Nelson. It is $25.99 and 379 pages long.

Contact Amy Mendenhall at amendenhall@newsandsentinel.com or visit her blog at www.newsandsentinel.com

Women's Fiction Explores Relationships

2008-04-14T14:25:32Z

Books reviewed: Fifteen Minutes of Shame by Lisa Daily, Suddenly by Barbara Delinsky, The Ex-Debutante by Linda Francis Lee

America’s favorite TV dating expert hits a setback of her own – and finds her career in tatters in "Fifteen Minutes of Shame" by Lisa Daily.

Darby Vaughn went to work feeling like her life was perfect – great stepkids that she loves like her own, a great career and a loving husband. But where was he when she found him in town when he was supposed to be away? Darby is blindsided at her interview when she is asked about her pending divorce – one Darby didn’t know she was getting. Her husband has went back to his ex-wife.

Darby is heartbroken and trying to deal, even in the face of all America dishing about her being dumped. Her syndication deals are canceled, her book tour stopped, and she cannot see the kids she has been raising in the last four years.

With the help of her new (and hot) divorce attorney, Darby’s determined to get custody of the kids and take her life back one way or the other.

A rousing book for anyone who’s ever been dumped or cheated on, or who just wants to see a strong woman pick herself up after a fall, Darby is an every- woman heroine mixed with a bit of celebrity.

"Fifteen Minutes of Shame" is published by Plume Books. It is $14 and 283 pages long.

?

New York Times bestselling author Barbara Delinsky re-releases a formerly published book, "Suddenly" to a new audience for the first time in hardcover.

When a prominent pediatrician inexplicably commits suicide, it shakes the foundation of her friends and coworkers. For Mara had everything to live for, a great job, great friends, and was adopting a baby from India that was expected any day now, why would she choose to end her life? For all, it is a time of introspection, and what they find may be the life they’re living is not the life they want and it is time to make some changes.

Best friend and co-worker Paige Pfeiffer finds her life changed as she takes on carrying for Mara’s new daughter until a new family can be found. Paige never wanted kids of her own and is struggling through and learning more about herself everyday. When she meets Noah Perrine, the head of the private school where Paige also coaches athletics, she also discovers that though she might not have been looking for a relationship, she just may have found one - and a daughter - that she does want to let go.

Delinsky delivers emotional characters and situations that will bring a tear to the eye and inspire hope.

"Suddenly" is published by William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins. It is $18.95 and 438 pages long.

?

A Boston lawyer returns to her Texas roots to help in her mother’s divorce and annual debutante ball in bestselling author Linda Francis Lee’s "The Ex-Debutante."

Carlisle Wainwright Cushing left her wealthy debutante mother and family behind, as well as her ex-boyfriend, when she fled her family’s noteriety and headed to unknown Boston. But when her mother needs help in her latest divorce, Carlisle is pulled back in and takes a leave of absense at her law firm to straighten out her mother’s mess. There she finds herself roped into taking over the family’s annual debutante ball - and selecting the right kind of girls and staring across the divorce courtroom at her soon-to-be ex stepfather’s lawyer - who is none other than Jack Blair, her ex-boyfriend.

Though Carlisle has made a life in Boston, with a possible fiance to boot, she finds herself sucked back into a world of sweet tea, Southern boys, and society women. Once she fixes her mother’s life, where will her own lead?

The glimpse into the world of the Texas socialite and the debutantes is a voyeurisitic pleasure, much like Housewives of Orange County and other such reality shows. And the message about a family’s unconditional love, even as they are driving you crazy, is a good one.

"The Ex-Debutante" is published by St. Martin’s Press. It is $24.95 and 341 pages long.

Contact Amy Mendenhall at

amendenhall@newsandsentinel.com. Visit her blog at www.newsandsentinel.com or read past columns at amendenhall.livejournal.com

Highland Tales and Magic Shoes in romance

2008-04-07T14:10:29Z

Books reviewed: Highlander Ever After and These Boots Were Made for Stomping

A tale of romance in the Scottish highlands comes in USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Ashley’s “Highlander Ever After.”

Princess Zarabeth fell in love with Egan MacDonald when the wild Highlander stumbled onto her father’s lands in Nvengaria when she was but a girl of 12. Mourning the lost of his much-beloved brother, Egan was enchanted by the spirited girl, but soon left when Zarabeth’s feelings became apparent. Years later, Zarabeth is trapped in an abusive marriage with a rebellious count. Finally escaping, she warns her cousin, the prince of Nvengaria, of her husband’s intentions for the country, and with his help, is sent to Egan’s Castle MacDonald to escape the spies and assassins her husband has sent after her and awaits her pending divorce.

Almost murdered on the trip to Scotland, Zarabeth arrives via shipwreck and Egan barely finds her. He sees his young friend has now grown to an enchanting woman. But Egan respects Zarabeth’s father too much to ruin his daughter with a scandalous affair and has no need of a wife, having made his nephew Jamie his successor. But Jamie and Egan’s sister have other plans and continue matchmaking efforts, first with two English debutantes and then with Zarabeth herself. And Egan and Zarabeth find their own feelings bubbling to the surface again. With a cursed castle and assassines at every turn, Egan and Zarabeth’s romance, is beset by many odds, but surely a wild Highlander and a princess can overcome anything.

A sexy, updated twist to the Regency setting, Ashley’s characters are modern enough in their attitudes and dialogue to forget the 1820s setting. For anyone who may have a bit of trouble relating to historical fiction in general, this is a great author to try.

“Highlander Ever After” is published by Dorchester. It is $7.99 and 336 pages long.

?

Footwear gives women the extra oomph to take charge of their lives — whether they want to or not — in three short novellas by Julie Kenner, Jade Lee and Marianne Mancusi in “These Boots Were Made for Stomping.”

In Julie Kenner’s tale, “A Step in the Right Direction,” a woman becomes a superhero thanks to a pair of shoes and awkward timing. Mistaken for another superhero, she ends up teaming up to help bring down a notorious villain.

In Jade Lee’s story, “Kung Fu Shoes” a mild-mannered school teacher faces off against a gang leader along with the help of a former police officer and an awesome pair of shoes that gives her martial arts skills.

In Marianne Mancusi’s tale, “Karma Kitty Goes to Comic Con,” a comic book creator gets more than she bargained for when she dresses up like her character, complete with boots, and ends up getting her own powers that aid in her fight against a band of ninjas.

All three stories weave romance against their action-movie stories, coming up with three novellas that are butt-kicking and heart stealing.

“These Boots Were Made for Stomping” is published by Dorchester. It is $7.99 and 309 pages long.

My Bookshelves Be Overflowing!

2008-03-31T22:31:02Z

Looking at my shelf today, I have a lot to read!

Reading Now: Stray by Rachel Vincent

April:
Practically Perfect - Katie Fforde
Suddenly - Barbara Delinsky

May:
Lulu Meets God And Doubts Him - Danielle Clark
The Best Day of Someone Else's Life - Kerry Reichs
Wicked Game - Jeri Smith-Ready
These Boots Were Made for Strutting - Lisa Cach, Gemma Halliday, Melanie Jackson

YA May Books:
Skullduggery Pleasant: Playing With Fire - Derek Landy
Ever - Gail Carson Levine
Ink Exchange - Melissa Marr

June:
Bound by Shadow - Anna Windsor (actually front says 6/24 back says July release, so who knows?)
Pitch Black - Susan Crandall
Weddings Can Be Murder - Christie Craig (front says June release, inside says May 27. What's going on?)
Tall Tales and Wedding Veils - Jane Graves
Lover Enshrined - J.R. Ward - it's 534 pages long!

July:
Hidden - Eve Kenin (Shomi!)
Eternal Pleasure - Nina Bangs
Pleasure Unbound - Larissa Ione
Magic in His Kiss - Shari Anton

August:
Out of Time - Samantha Graves
A Highlander Never Surrenders - Paula Quinn

But that doesn't mean that I won't be looking for more! (;

Paranormal Fun on April Fool's Day

2008-03-31T14:40:49Z

Books reviewed: Personal Demon by Kelley Armstrong, Lady and the Vamp by Michelle Rowen, Magic Burns by Ilona Andrews, Small Favor by Jim Butcher

Tuesday is going to be a great day for the paranormal genre. No fooling. Bestselling authors in the genre are welcoming new books of their popular series.

For Kelley Armstrong, "Personal Demon," will introduce Hope Adams, a tabloid reporter who owes a very dangerous man a favor — one who won’t take no for an answer. And she finds herself in a gang war between two powerful — and magic — factions in Miami. Going undercover, Hope becomes immersed in a world of magic, thievery and debauchery and finds the romantic pursuit of one of the members, Jaz, a little too hard to resist. And Hope has another side to her — one that eats up chaos like chocolate, and playing double-agent is like getting an all-you-can-eat buffet at the chaos line.

Then her ex-lover and werewolf jewel thief, Karl, shows up. Also owing a favor, he rushes in to ensure Hope isn’t being used or getting in over her head.

Armstrong is a master of combing romance, mystery and the paranormal in one addictive package. And this latest addition to her series is no exception. Armstrong keeps providing new, fresh, and interesting characters who inhabit a dangerous world filled with shades of gray.

"Personal Demon" is published by Bantam Books, a division of Random House. It is $20 and 371 pages long. Look for other books in the series available now in paperback.

?

Michelle Rowen brings a new tale of vampires, romance, and saving the world in "Lady and the Vamp," the third novel set in her series.

Michael Quinn, former vampire hunter and now a vampire himself, is just beginning to deal with his fate by taking a roadtrip with a werewolf. His friend, Barkley, is supposed to be going home to be an alpha, and Quinn is secretly tracking down a mysterious artifact, the Eye, that is supposed to grant wishes, and wants to ditch the were at the first possible minute. But Barkley ends up leaving his pack and Michael finds himself stalled at a roadside diner.

Then trouble walks in in the form of his best friend’s little sister, all grown-up and a mercenary with orders to steal the Eye and kill anyone who gets in her way. For Janie Parker is working for the ultimate worst boss ever, and the only way to save her sister’s life is to get what he wants — and no former crushes turned undead hotties are going to stand in her way.

Full of sassy characters and fun intrigue, "Lady and the Vamp" is a heist novel mixed with romance and full of double-crosses and secret agendas, as well as vampires, werewolves, psychics, and bad poetry-spouting Romeos.

"Lady and the Vamp" is published by Warner Forever. It is $6.99 and 368 pages long.

?

A world caught between technology and magic is the setting for Ilona Andrews’ "Magic Burns," a sequel to "Magic Bites."

Kate Daniels is caught between the Mercenary Guild and her former life there, and her new life as a member of the Order after her guardian’s death. When a street kid that Kate owes a favor to drops off his friend Julie for her to protect, Kate goes in search of the girl’s mother and finds her and her entire group of witches missing. Kate’s investigation lands her in the middle of an ancient Celtic war and she finds Julie is someone worth protecting at any cost. A new take on the urban fantasy genre, the world Kate inhabits is a blend of gritty magic and dangerous mystery.

"Magic Burns" is published by Ace Books. It is $6.99 and 260 pages.

?

Wizard and private investigator Harry Dresden returns in New York Times bestselling author Jim Butcher’s "Small Favor."

This time, Harry is caught betweeen the Winter and Summer courts of the Fae when Mab, the ruler of the Winter Court of the Sidhe and the Queen of Air and Darkness tells Harry he must repay a favor to her by finding the missing Johnny Marcone, who not only is on the bad side of the human law, but has his finger in all sorts of bad supernatural pies. The Queen of Summer is sending her emissaries to stop Harry at all costs and he soon finds himself fighting all sorts of fairy-tale creatures.

But where did Marcone go and why? That mystery leads Harry into the path of the Denarians, fallen angels who tempt and possess those who pick up the coins in which they are concealed. A group of Denarians have taken Marcone, but do they want to kill him or recruit him? Or is something bigger in play? Harry is determined to track down the real mastermind behind the game, with a little help from the Wizard’s council, his friend Karrin Murphy of the Chicago police department his friend Michael, a mystical Knight, and his half-brother the vampire Thomas.

The multitude of Harry’s fans will be glad of another book to continue on the series. But there’s more Harry Dresden in store for 2008 — a role-playing game is in the works.

"Small Favor" is published by ROC, a division of Penguin. It is $23.95 and 420 pages long.