Marta Acosta's Happy Hour at Casa Dracula

Happy Hour at Casa Dracula by Marta Acosta

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Milagro impulsively kisses a handsome stranger. During the embrace his lip gets cut and she accidentally ingests some of his blood. Oswald, our handsome stranger, is NOT a vampire, but he does have a rare genetic disorder that makes him crave blood and causes a photo sensitivity, which sounds suspiciously like vampirism.

What follows is a hilarious comedy of errors and a look into a fascinating world where not-vampires exist and are being hunted by corporate baddies. Marta Acosta has written a splendid tale in the best tradition of romantic comedies, and I can't wait to dive into the next Milagro tale: Midnight Brunch.

If you'd like to learn more about Marta, check out her blog: Vampire Wire.

J.K. Beck's When Blood Calls

When Blood Calls by J.K. Beck

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sara Constantine, prosecuting attorney, meets Lucius Dragos while she's out celebrating a recent court win. They end up at her condo together for a night of passion. Sara thinks she's found a man who just might be worth keeping. Then her boss (the District Attorney) offers her a job with the Division, the department that deals with Homeland Security cases, or so she's been told. As it turns out, the department actually deals with paranormal cases, and Sara is introduced to a whole new world filled with vampires, werewolves, and ghosts (oh, my!). It seems the head of the Division has been following her career and he thinks she'll be perfect to prosecute the high-level murder case they've just landed. The suspect has been brought in and is none other than...you guessed it...Lucius. Turns out Lucius is a vampire and the evidence against him is pretty solid. So now poor Sara has to reconcile the fact that she's fallen for a vampire who might also be a stone-cold killer.

I really enjoyed this book. Sara and Lucius are well-developed and believable, as are the secondary characters. The storyline is tight and fast-paced. There is a plot twist I didn't see coming at all, which makes figuring out "who done it" much more difficult. The world J.K. Beck (a.k.a. Julie Kenner) has created is fascinating as well. It's much grittier than her usual fare (demon-hunting soccer moms and superhero central). She's added an interesting twist to vampires I have not read about anywhere else. It's sort of a paranormal Law and Order, and I'm looking forward to reading book two to see where she takes the series. Personally, I think it's off to a terrific start. Well done, Julie!

When Pleasure Rules: Book 2 (Release date: 28-Sep-10)

When Wicked Craves: Book 3 (Release date: 26-Oct-10)

Friday 56

From "Steamed" by Katie MacAlister

"You should take up jogging," I told her, turning to scan the opposite direction. "Does wonders for your cardio."

About the Friday 56:
1. Grab the book nearest you. Right now
2. Turn to page 56.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
5. Post a link along with your post back to this blog.

Andy Remic's "Kell's Legend"

Kell's Legend by Andy Remic

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This sword and sorcery epic sweeps you away to the side of an aged hero and his granddaughter. Kell, hero of legend, is tired and wants to be left in peace to watch his granddaughter succeed at university. But the clockwork vampires, the vachines, have other plans for Kell's homeland. They strike at night with blood magic and overtake the town. Kell manages to flee with his granddaughter and her schoolmate. They soon meet up with a thief also bent on escape, and together they stay one step ahead of the invading forces.

This is the first book in a trilogy and has certainly snagged my attention enough so that I will be waiting impatiently for parts two and three. I really enjoyed the fast paced action in this story. The author sometimes over-describes things (he rarely uses less than three descriptors), but that's easy enough to overlook. All-in-all, it's a fine start to a heart-pounding action tale, complete with quests and durance vile. Oh, and a bad guy you can really hate. I like it!

Friday 56

From "The Lives of Dalhousie University: Volume One 1818-1935" by P.B. Waite

"There must not be, he said, four or five colleges in the province—if so, their degrees would become a laughing stock."

About the Friday 56:
1. Grab the book nearest you. Right now
2. Turn to page 56.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
5. Post a link along with your post back to this blog.

Lori Handeland's "Any Given Doomsday"

Any Given Doomsday by Lori Handeland

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Nephilim, demons, witches, seers, and shifters. Throw in a vampire or two and you've got the makings of a great story.

Elizabeth Phoenix is an ex-cop barmaid who can see the future. She's an ex-cop because she blames herself for her partner's death. She's a barmaid because she doesn't want to be a P.I. She can see glimpses of the future, but she doesn't want that either. When her foster mother is murdered, she's thrown into a whole lot of what she doesn't want. Now she has to face her past and accept her future, or the world as she knows it will end.

I picked up Any Given Doomsday because I was browsing Ms. Handeland's site (http://www.lorihandeland.com/) and found a link to download a free short story called In the Beginning. After I read that story, I just knew I had to buy this book to find out what happens to Lizbeth. I'm really glad I did. The story is intriguing and engaging. Ms. Handeland has created a very interesting world and peopled it with characters you can like, some you will absolutely hate, and some that you won't be able to make your mind up on, at least, not yet.

Lilith Saintcrow's "The Demon's Librarian"

The Demon's Librarian by Lilith Saintcrow

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Chess Barnes is a librarian who hunts demons in her spare time. When the "real" demon hunters show up looking for some special books, all hell breaks loose.

This is a really excellent story. The characters are all well-developed and the world Ms. Saintcrow created is fascinating. While it is quite satisfying as a stand-alone story, we can only hope that one day Ms. Saintcrow will return to this world and these characters.