Vampires and werewolves roam the streets of Victorian England; however, these immortal beings are not relegated to living in the shadows or in dark, dank vermin infested alleys. The bulk of this ilk occupies the upper echelon of polite Victorian society. Unfortunately, the attack on Alexia Tarabotti could extinguish the peaceful coexistence of humans and immortals. While attending a high society function, Alexia is confronted by a vampire intent on killing her.

Alexia is an extraordinary woman. She does not possess a soul. Born to an English mother and an Italian father, she is constantly warned that her unrefined Italian heritage is not an asset in proper English society. In fact, her hyper-emotional mother and offbeat sisters consider Alexia a spinster at the ripe old age of twenty-six. Although she realizes that her adventurous lifestyle is not considered appropriate for a woman her age, she continues to move forward and look beyond a state of matrimony. Alexia keeps her soulless state a secret from her family, but she is aware that her deceased father also lacked a soul.

The lack of a soul does have a certain advantage. It has endowed her with a special ability. As long as she maintains physical contact with an immortal being, their superhuman strength dissipates leaving them temporarily human. Her strange talent is well known throughout the supernatural community, which makes the attack even more puzzling.

Alexia’s attacker was a vampire, who cornered her in the library. Her touch relieved him of his super strength, but he continued his assault. Wrapping his hands around her neck in an attempt to strangle the life out of her, Alexia was forced to defend herself. Using her parasol, she managed to stab the bloodthirsty beast. Although it was not her intent, the stab proved fatal for the attacker.

As vampires begin to disappear, all sides begin to suspect Alexia is involved. In order to clear her name, Alexia joins forces with Lord Maccon. Maccon is the fourth Earl of Woolsey and an alpha werewolf. Maccon heads the Bureau of Unnatural Registry, which regularly meets with and advises Queen Victoria. The supernaturals have a long history of English allegiance.

Initially, neither one is thrilled to be working with the other. Maccon is somewhat baffled by women and Alexia finds Maccon a little too rough around the edges for her taste; however, it is not long before chemistry begins to brew between them.

Soulless is a unique tale of romance, mystery, paranormal and alternate history. Author Gail Carringer does a wonderful job of marrying all the elements in this debut novel. Captivated readers will look forward to the next book in the Parasol Protectorate series.

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater opens with the story of Grace, lying in the snow. It’s 15 degrees, frigid and dark, in Mercy Falls, Minnesota. Grace has been snatched from her own backyard by a pack of starving wolves. She lies on the ground blanketed by snow as they paw and bite at her tender skin. Crimson spilling out onto a peaceful sheet of white. Grace remains motionless as the amber eyes of one of the wolves catches her attention. Their gazes lock and the whole world surrounding them freezes. Their souls meet and offer a deeper exchange, transcending beyond animal and human. The connection frightens the wolf enough to stop the brutal attack. Though Grace’s blood has stained his fur, the wolf has abandoned his primal instincts in order to save her life.

As the seasons pass, Grace recalls her encounter with the wolves. She has recovered from her attack, but is left with a growing curiosity over the whereabouts of the one who saved her. The moment that she and the amber-eyed wolf shared leaves her obsessing over his appearance again. She knows that he is out there in the woods behind her house, watching over her, just as she watches out her own window waiting for a glimpse. She tries to lure him in, taunting him with the smell of her blood as she stands out in the yard beckoning him to join her. Winter after winter he returns to her.

Sam lives a double life. In the winter he enjoys a life of freedom roaming the woods as a wolf. While hunting for food he occupies his time with spying on the love of his life, Grace. He feels a strong connection with her though she has no knowledge of his double life.

In summer, both Sam and Grace bear the brunt of the summer’s heat and the silence. Sam is human biding his time working at the local bookstore. Grace frequents the store, but has yet to notice him and Sam is too afraid to approach her. With no encounters in the woods, the summer seems unbearable for the pair. Though Sam seems to enjoy the freedoms of being human in the summer, he cannot seem to muster up the courage to speak to Grace.

When a local teenage boy is attacked and killed by the wolves, the citizens organize a hunting party. Sam is wounded by the men and appears in human form on Grace’s porch in search of refuge. As Grace recognizes her wolf when looking into the boy’s amber eyes, she realizes that fate has finally united them. The love struck teens race against time in order to keep Sam in his human form in Shiver.

Best Book Quote: “. . . the greatest impediment to justice is prejudice.”

I was only going to read for a minute when I picked up Kelly Armstrong’s book Living with the Dead. I have always been a fan of her stories but believe me when I say that this book is not a “just gonna read for a minute” kind of book. Once I started, I had to find out how it ended.

The main character, Robyn Peltier, is a public relations consultant who becomes accused of a crime she didn’t commit – the murder of her annoyingly irritating celebrity employer. She finds her boss shot dead and to all outward appearances it looks like she did it. But when she goes on the run to save her life it leads to her immediate guilt in the eyes of the police and more importantly, the gorgeous lead investigator, Detective Finn. Luckily for Robyn, she finds help from her best friend Hope Adams (a half-demon) and Hope’s werewolf boyfriend, Karl. Apparently, Robyn has inadvertently became involved in a supernatural mess that could kill both her and her friends. But this doesn’t stop them in their mission to prove Hope’s innocence.

I was surprised to find that I was so quickly hooked on this story since I usually avoid the “innocent person accused of a crime” plotline. It’s a testimony to Kelly Armstrong’s great writing style that I kept on reading.

This novel has pulse-racing writing combined with Armstrong’s usual wit – a combination I’ve really come to like. The author makes Robyn a sympathetic character that you connect with and pull for throughout the book. Comic relief is provided by the ghost of Robyn’s husband who was killed but has come back to help her; the twist is that he can only be seen by Detective Finn! Whether you like “innocent girl wrongly accused” storylines or not, give Living with the Dead a try. If I hadn’t, I would have missed out on a really fun read.

Title: Silver Borne
Author: Patricia Briggs
Release Date: March 30, 2010
Pages: 352
Genre: Urban Fantasy

Best Book Quote: “I could have kept arguing with him – I usually like arguing with Adam. But there were things I liked better. I leaned forward and kissed him.”

Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs is another great installment in the story of Mercy Thompson, coyote shapeshifter. At this point in the series she’s bonded to Adam, the Alpha of the local werewolf pack. Mercy is an ace mechanic who works in a garage, fixing cars while trying to understand all the nuances of her relationship with Adam. A coyote mated to a wolf comes with its own unique set of problems – least of which is the fact that his pack isn’t welcoming her with open arms because they think their Alpha should be mated to a true werewolf.

Mercy lives in a trailer with Samuel, a family member from a different pack. He’s a very old werewolf (but still incredibly hot) who seems to be succumbing to a problem that plagues a lot of old werewolves: he’s losing his humanity. When Mercy comes home on day to find Samuel in wolf form and realizes he’s not switching back, she fears the worst because most lone wolves don’t survive for long – they are usually killed by their pack. However, Mercy is determined that this will not happen to her friend and sets out to find a solution to his problem. But this makes significant problems for her because Adam is not about to let a lone wolf near his mate. How can she protect Samuel but not lie to Adam at the same time? Quite the dilemma . . .

Patricia Briggs once again delivers a great story with complex characters and captivating story lines. Samuel and his battle with his inner wolf keeps you engaged as you truly hope it does not negatively impact the relationship between Adam and Mercy. Keeping these two together is of paramount importance. Along with a parallel story where Mercy tries to help out a young fae bookstore owner, the author gives you plenty of action to keep you captivated throughout the book. Be sure to pick up Silver Borne if you are looking for a fast-paced, fantastical and interesting story to read. check prices

Best Line From Book: “What a minute, are you telling me that because you couldn’t hail a cab you had yourself turned into a vampire?”

Ashlyn Chase has written the quintessential supernatural romance with her new novel Strange Neighbors.

Merry Mckenzie, a nurse, rents an apartment in Boston from the hottest baseball pitcher to hit the circuit in recent years. As you can imagine, she’s not complaining. Especially since she was hoping that a move to Boston, away from her loving but overprotective father, would put her in the path of some really hot guys. You see the small town she grew up in did NOT have what she needed and she realizes just how lucky she is when her landlord, Jason Falco, turns out to be one of the hunkiest guys she’s ever met.

As far as Merry is concerned, everything is working out great; she loves her new apartment and her social life is improving. She starts settling in to a nice, normal way of life.

But of course, things aren’t normal AT ALL.

First, there’s a chance that her apartment might be haunted. Then, there are the odd characters in the apartment building:

-witches who run a phone sex business
-a vampire in the basement
-a shape shifter. Or two.

Taken together you have the makings of a playful, hilarious story.

I enjoyed reading about Merry’s antics and was inspired by her general outlook and openness. And although the book contains several supernatural characters I love Ashlyn Chase’s approach for embracing this segment of society; she makes “life amongst the monsters” entertaining without wasting too much time on the mythology associated with the paranormal characters in the book. She keeps it light and moves the story along at a good pace.

I hope Ashlyn Chase continues writing supernatural stories of this nature because I really enjoyed laughing at (and along with) the quirky characters in the book. Job well done!

Strange Neighbors is available in paperback and Kindle formats.

If you purchase a book through one of the blue links above I get a small fee from Amazon that helps me keep the site running.

Gift Wrap by Charlaine Harris
In this story Sookie Stackhouse expects to spend some quiet alone time during Christmas when she discovers a wounded werewolf in the woods. This is a cozy, light story that combines a lovable and well-known character, Sookie, with a mischevious and sexy werewolf.

The Haire of the Beast by Donna Andrews
In this book a witch researches what it will take to make her brother a werewolf. She also makes some special brownie treats for her ex-boyfriend. Confusion and fun ensues in this hilarious holiday story.

Lucy, at Christmastime by Simon R. Green
Simon Green writes a short story that complements his popular Nightside series; a werewolf having drinks at a Nightside bar during the holiday season reminisces about his past, including his past love.

The Night Things Changed by Dana Cameron
Supernatural creatures are usually good-hearted in this short story. However, in a twist of fate, one turns out to be a killer. A female vampire and her werewolf brother investigate the matter.

The Werewolf Before Christmas by Kat Richardson
In this story we meet Matthias, a werewolf whose appetite gets him in trouble at the North Pole. Santa has designed the perfect punishment for him; can Mathias set his pride aside and complete his assigned task?

Fresh Meat by Alan Gordon
This story proves how dogs are great partners, especially when tracking down bad guys; a dog and a female werewolf partner up to defeat evil during the holiday season.

Il est Ne by Carrie Vaughn
Our lovable and smart female werewolf Kitty Norville teams up with another werewolf to investigate a mystery. Who knew she’d end up involved in a mess just by going to The Waffle House?

The Perfect Gift by Dana Stabenow
I love it when stories don’t give everything away at once. In this story we meet two cops who may (or may not be) quite human. We get to guess the true nature of each character while also reading a pretty good mystery story.

Christmas Past by Keri Arthur
This classic Christmas love is in the air story centers around two cops (a werewolf and a psychic) who rekindle their past love while trying to solve a case.

SA by Joe Konrath
Konrath weaves an outrageously funny tale here that involves shape shifters in unimaginable shapes and sizes.

The Star of David by Patricia Briggs
A daughter seeks out her father’s help, although he’s responsible for her mother’s death several years prior. This dramatic piece is touching and poignant.

You’d Better Not Pyout by Nancy Pickard
This is an hilarious story about two misplaced ex-Soviet vampires in Florida. They just found out that Santa Claus is a vampire and that Christmas is a scam that simply grants him access to homes and an endless blood supply. They seek to join him, but somehow end up across the Atlantic Ocean. Yes, this story includes many lively twists and turns.

Rogue Elements by Karen Chance
Karen Chance writes a police mystery set in the supernatural realm of Las Vegas which involves identity denial and werewolf politics.

Milk and Cookies by Rob Thurman
Rob Thurman, responsible for the wonderful Cal Leandros books, writes about young werewolves’ true fantasies. Just what do they want for Christmas?

Keeping Watch Over His Flock by Toni L. P. Kelner
Jake, a shapeshifter, experiences newfound fame after he rescues a girl that had gone missing. However to do this, he ends up shifting into something you’d never imagine!

Wolfsbane and Mistletoe is now ON SALE at Amazon!

There a TON of new fantasy books being released in March 2010. I’ve narrowed the list down to urban and contemporary books since that’s what I review at the site. Notice that there are a good number of vampire books on the list as well as a few werewolf books. Hurrah!

Let’s get started!

Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs
When mechanic and shapeshifter Mercy Thompson attempts to return a powerful Fae book she’d previously borrowed in an act of desperation, she finds the bookstore locked up and closed down.

It seems the book contains secret knowledge-and the Fae will do just about anything to keep it out of the wrong hands. And if that doesn’t take enough of Mercy’s attention, her friend Samuel is struggling with his wolf side – leaving Mercy to cover for him before his father discovers his problem and decides he’d be better off dead.

All in all, Mercy has had better days. And if she isn’t careful, she might not have many more to live . . .


Werewolf Smackdown by Mario Acevedo
Vampire private investigator Felix Gomez finds him caught between alpha werewolves battling for supremacy in sunny Charleston, S.C. When a high-powered werewolf attorney tries to hire Gomez to kill his rival, Gomez refuses. The last thing he wants is to be the guy responsible for breaking the “uneasy truce” that exists among supernatural entities. But as soon as Gomez dodges that metaphorical bullet, someone tries to put a real one through him. Finding the answers will bring Gomez up against an estranged old lover and an old enemy, and just might get him killed.


Shift by Rachel Vincent
Being the first female werecat enforcer isn’t easy. Scars accumulate, but I’m stronger in so many ways.

As for my personal life? It’s complicated. Choices worth making always are. Ever since my brother’s death and my father’s impeachment, it’s all I can do to prevent more blood from spilling. Now our Pride is under attack by a flight of vicious thunderbirds. And making peace with our new enemies may be the only way to get the best of our old foe.

With the body count rising and treachery everywhere, my instincts tell me to look before I leap. But sometimes a leap of faith is the only real option . . .


Shadowglass by Erica Hayes
Welcome to a secret world hidden behind shadowy fairy glamour, where thieving spriggans rob you blind, beautiful banshees mesmerize you with their song, big green trolls kick heads at nightclubs and vampire Mafiosi rule the streets. Here a seductive magic mirror lies hidden deep in a demon’s lair, with a simple warning: don’t stare at the glass…Ice is a light-fingered fairy who can’t resist a look at the powerful mirror. The mirror offers her a chance to achieve everything she’s ever dreamed of. But when she pilfers it, she discovers that its power comes with a price: the mirror is a gateway to obsession and madness…and it will take every trick in her arsenal just to survive.


Roadkill by Rob Thurman
It’s time to lock, load, and hit the road . . . Once, while half-human Cal Leandros and his brother Niko were working on a case, an ancient gypsy queen gave them a good old-fashioned backstabbing. Now, just as their P.I. business hits a slow patch, the old crone shows up with a job.

She wants them to find a stolen coffin that contains a blight that makes the Black Death seem like a fond memory. But the thief has already left town, so the Leandros brothers are going on the road. And if they’re very, very lucky, there might even be a return trip . . .


A Local Habitation by Seanan McGuire
Toby Daye-a half-human, half-fae changeling-has been an outsider from birth. After getting burned by both sides of her heritage, Toby has denied the fae world, retreating to a “normal” life. Unfortunately for her, the Faerie world had other ideas…

Now her liege, the Duke of the Shadowed Hills, has asked Toby to go to the Country of Tamed Lightening to make sure all is well with his niece, Countess January O’Leary. It seems like a simple enough assignment-until Toby discovers that someone has begun murdering people close to January, and that if the killer isn’t stopped, January may be the next victim.


Dominion by Fred Saberhagen
When two ancient, ruthless beings, locked in a struggle for the ultimate magic Weapon, bring their blood feud to New York, Vlad Tepes (a good guy vampire) races to hide the coveted weapon.





Deep In The Woods by Chris Marie Green
With the female master of the London Underground in her hands, stuntwoman-turned­vampire hunter Dawn Madison must fight off her followers, a vicious pack of undead teenage girls who put the vamps Dawn had to deal with in Los Angeles to shame . . .




Born To Be Wild by Christine Warren
Josie Barrett brings out the animal in men. Literally. As the local veterinarian in a town that’s approximately seventy percent Others—mostly shapeshifters—Josie deals with beastly situations all the time. It’s practically part of her job description. But when the werewolves of Stone Creek, Oregon, start turning downright feral, Josie smells a rat—among other, more dangerous critter.

Teaming up with the ferociously sexy Eli Pace, a full-time sheriff and part-time were-lion, Josie tries to contain the shapeshifting problem before it spreads like a virus. But when more shifters get infected—and stuck in their animal forms—the fur really begins to fly. Josie and Eli have to find the cause, fast, before the whole town goes to the dogs. But first, they have to wrestle with a few animal urges of their own.


and Falling, Fly by Skyler White
In a dark and seedy underground of burned-out rock stars and angels-turned- vampires, a revolutionary neuroscientist and a fallen angel must put medicine against mythology in an attempt to erase their tortured pasts…but at what price?

Olivia, vampire and fallen angel of desire, is hopeless…and damned. Since the fall from Eden, she has hungered for love, but fed only on desire. Dominic O’Shaughnessy is a neuroscientist plagued by impossible visions. When his research and her despair collide at L’Otel Mathillide-a subterranean hell of beauty, demons, and dreams-rationalist and angel unite in a clash of desire and damnation that threatens to destroy them both.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith
When Abraham Lincoln was nine years old, his mother died from an ailment called the “milk sickness.” Only later did he learn that his mother’s deadly affliction was actually the work of a local vampire, seeking to collect on Abe’s father’s unfortunate debts.

Using The Journal of Abraham Lincoln as a guide, the true life story of our great president is reconstructed for the first time—all while revealing the hidden history behind the Civil War, and uncovering the massive role vampires played in the birth, growth, and near-death of our nation.


The Midnight Mayor by Kate Griffin
One by one, the protective magical wards that guard London are falling. This is not good news. An array of supernatural defenses – a mix of international tourist attractions and forgotten urban legends – formed a formidable magical shield around the city, one that could protect London from the greatest threat it has ever known. But what could be threatening the safety of the entire city?

Against his better judgment, Matthew Swift is about to find out. And if he’s lucky, he might just live long enough to do something about it . . .


Mind Games by Carolyn Crane
Justine Jones has a secret. A hardcore hypochondriac, she’s convinced a blood vessel is about to burst in her brain. Then, out of the blue, a gorgeous man named Packard peers into Justine’s soul and invites her to join his private crime-fighting team. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime deal. With a little of Packard’s hands-on training Justine is able to fight some of the worst criminals in the city.

But there’s more to Packard than meets the eye. Soon, while battling her attraction to Packard and a handsome police chief, Justine plunges deeper into a world of wizardry, eroticism, and cosmic secrets, and discovers a reality more frightening than her worst fears.


The Devil’s Playground by Jenna Black
Morgan Kingsley, a kick-ass exorcist, can deal with Lugh, the super-sexy demon living inside her, but does he have to moan softly during her intimate moments with her mortal lover? Understandably, Brian is reluctant to share the pleasures of Morgan’s flesh with a gorgeous rogue from the Demon Realm.

But personal matters will have to wait when the opportunistic owner of The Seven Deadlies demon club in Philadelphia enlists Morgan’s help in heading off a crisis: It seems that demons have started showing up at the hot spot in alarming numbers and in the unwilling bodies of rough trade club-goers. Morgan is sure that Dougal, Lugh’s sworn enemy, is behind this, but why? To find out Morgan must summon every ounce of power at her command—or risk becoming just another casualty in an all-out demon war.


Never Cry Werewolf by L.A. Banks
The last fight between the werewolf clans spilled onto the streets of New Orleans—and now the whole city’s on red alert. Martial law has gone into effect. Mediums, ghost hunters, and other supernatural pundits have taken over the media, swarming the Big Easy to expose the hard truth about lycanthropes. And to make matters worse, a beastly killer is clawing up humans…

Secret government operative Sasha Trudeau doesn’t like what she’s seeing—a series of brutal and bloody slayings that appear to be wolf-like attacks. It might be the work of a copy cat killer – a vampire or fae. But while Sasha races to find suspects and motives, the panic level is rising—and the city’s human population is clamoring for an all-out wolf hunt . . .


Master Of None by Sonya Bateman
Gavyn Donatti is the world’s unluckiest thief. Just ask the partners he’s lost over the years. And when he misplaces an irreplaceable item he was hired to steal for his ruthless employer Trevor, well, his latest bungle just might be his last. But then his luck finally turns: right when Trevor’s thugs have him cornered, a genie appears to save him. Unfortunately, this genie – who goes by the very non-magical name of “Ian” – is more Hellboy than dream girl. An overgrown and extremely surly man who seems to hate Donatti on the spot, he may call Donatti master, but he isn’t interested in granting three wishes. He informs Donatti that he is bound to help the thief fulfill his life’s purpose, and then he will be free. The problem is that neither Donatti nor Ian has any idea what exactly that purpose is. At first Donatti’s too concerned with his own survival to look a gift genie in the mouth, but when his ex-girlfriend Jazz and her young son get drawn into the crossfire, the stakes skyrocket. And when Ian reveals that he has an agenda of his own – with both Donatti and the murderous Trevor at the center of it – Donatti will have to become the man he never knew he could be, or the entire world could pay the price . . .


Key To Justice by Talia Gryphon
Psychologist to the paranormal Gillian Key has a new patient. He is a vampire who calls himself Csangal, but he is also a creature hiding his true motives-and his true identity: Dracula.






Embers by Laura Bickle
Anya spends her days as an arson investigator with the Detroit Fire Department, and her nights pursuing malicious spirits with a team of eccentric ghost hunters. Anya, who is the rarest type of psychic medium, suspects a supernatural arsonist is setting fires in order to summon a fiery ancient entity that will leave the city in cinders. The spell will soon be complete unless Anya – with the help of her paranormal investigating team – can stop it.

This time Anya’s risking everything important: her city, her soul, and a man who sees and accepts her for everything she is. Keeping all three safe will be the biggest challenge she’s ever faced.


Death Blows by D.D. Barant
FBI profiler Jace Valchek was pulled into this parallel realm to hunt for Aristotle Stoker, a human serial killer who preys on vampires and werewolves. Now she works for the National Security Agency of the Unnatural States of America—and her boss is a vampire.

At a bizarre crime scene, Jace finds a bloodsucker murdered by magic, fried to the bone and dressed in the costume of the comic book hero the Flash – a character who isn’t supposed to exist here. Comic books have been outlawed for their powers, including crossover spells like the one that transported Jace to this world. Soon, she’s following a trail of dead bodies into the sinister underworld of black-market comics—where a deranged madman gives new meaning to the term “super-villain” . . .


Can’t Teach An Old Demon New Tricks by Cara Lockwood
Don’t get an east Texas girl good and mad – there might be hell to pay!

Rachel Farnsworth doesn’t believe in the paranormal—she can find plenty of evil forces right in Dogwood County, like the Mega-Mart that’s driving her family’s hardware store into the ground. Then there’s her own little hell-raiser – a rowdy toddler who can turn his birthday candles into a blazing inferno with just one breath. But when her marriage goes up in smoke, Rachel discovers her husband, Kevin, isn’t just a deadbeat, he’s also a demon (a sloth demon, no less, which explains why he never helped around the house). Then there’s a renegade bounty hunter – a fallen angel named Sam – who’s chasing down a powerful secret Kevin has kept for a millennium or two.

Sam’s downfall was a beautiful mortal woman . . . and now, the heavenly attraction she feels for Sam has Rachel believing in celestial magic. But will it be enough to save her and her son from the dark forces Kevin unwittingly unleashed on Dogwood County?


Succubus Shadows by Richelle Mead
Georgina Kincaid has formidable powers. Immortality, seduction, shape-shifting into any human form she desires, walking in heels that would cripple mere mortals–all child’s play to a succubus like her.

Helping to plan her ex-boyfriend’s wedding is a different story. Georgina isn’t sure which is worse–that Seth is marrying another woman, or that Georgina has to run all over Seattle trying on bridesmaid dresses. Still, there are distractions. Georgina’s roommate, Roman, is cluttering her apartment with sexual tension. Then there’s Simone, the new succubus in town, who’s intent on corrupting Seth.

But the real danger lies in the mysterious force that’s visiting her thoughts, trying to draw her into a dark, otherworldly realm. Sooner or later, Georgina knows she’ll be too weak to resist. And when that happens, she’ll discover who she can trust, who she can’t–and that Hell is far from the worst place to spend eternity. . .

So, that’s 21 NEW BOOKS to check out! Some of these look really good and I’ve already placed several of them in my shopping cart.