A Gaggle of Book Reviews

Kitty and the Silver Bullet is the newly released fourth werewolf mystery by Carrie Vaughn. Have you read the first 3 books of the Kitty Norville series by Carrie Vaughn? If you somehow missed them, go pick them up, and then read the newest release! These books have a wonderful mix of humor (a werewolf named Kitty?), romance, suspense, paranormal creatures, and the realities of the mundane world. If you aren’t one of those people who must read all books in exact order (ahem), each Kitty Norville book is a great stand-alone novel and will fill you in on the prior happenings without boring readers who have been following the series.

The basic concept of the series is that Kitty Norville is the first publicly “outed” werewolf. She creates a supernatural call-in show in her first book Kitty and the Midnight Hour, and in doing so has to leave her Pack in Denver. Kitty moves from city to city with her weekly radio show, and is summoned to Washington DC to testify in front of Congress about werewolves and vampires in book two - Kitty Goes to Washington. In book three Kitty takes a vacation from her radio show to write a book and hang out with nature (a la Walden). Things don’t go exactly according to plan, and she ends up with a supernatural mystery, a romance, her own small Pack, and proof of the adage that “you need a vacation after your vacation” in Kitty Takes a Holiday.

In Kitty and the Silver Bullet (Kitty Norville, Book 4), Kitty’s mother is ill, and she needs to return to her home, Denver. When Kitty left Denver, it was not entirely her idea - if she wanted to leave the Pack, she to leave the area, just like someone leaving an abusive spouse. In fact, Kitty gets involved in Pack politics again when a new werewolf comes to her for help escaping the clutches of Carl and Meg (the dysfunctional and abusive Denver Pack alphas), and things don’t end well. Kitty is determined to right the wrongs that she feels she should have prevented, and gets sucked into the world of paranormal politics.

We have gotten peeks into werewolf and vampire politics in earlier books, and it isn’t all that different from human politics - other than the amount of death involved. Opponents aren’t just beaten, they are permanently removed. In Kitty and the Silver Bullet, we delve deep into the politics and intrigue that is under the polite veneer of the paranormal world. Kitty finds herself challenging her former Pack leaders in an attempt to stabilize the paranormal community in Denver. At first, though, the world becomes completely unstable, and Kitty has to protect her small new Pack, as well as her biological family.

Carrie Vaughn has created a world in which the paranormal community is beginning to interact openly with the mundane world. Vampires and weres are known to exist, and while some people are superstitious or antagonistic, a lot of people are accepting. Each of the characters - even characters you only see a few times - come to life in such a way that you wonder for a moment if Carrie has become a ghostwriter for a real werewolf…

I really like the way Carrie mixes the paranormal with the mundane. Kitty may be a werewolf, but she still has jealous feelings of her sister’s life - married with 2 kids. Her mother is still nosy, and asks polite questions about her daughter’s full moon nights as if Kitty had joined some type of club. Kitty has the reality of needing the income from her radio show, and maintaining a good face for the public. There are problems as Kitty has to balance the paranormal and the mundane, which makes the characters and story Carrie has written come to life even more.

I’ve read many other werewolf books, and each one accepts and rejects different parts of the mythology surrounding weres. This series continues the sense of reality by not idealizing the paranormals. Carrie’s lycanthropes can’t tolerate silver, are very sexual creatures, are very loyal to their Pack, only have vague memories of what the wolf does, and can change at times other than the full moon (but they must change on that night). In the previous books in the Kitty series, she had explored more of her sexual side, but in Kitty and the Silver Bullet, she has found a mate. We wonder, along with Kitty, if this mating is on the human side as well, or if it is just for the good of the Pack… Carrie had foreshadowed this pairing starting from the first book, but the build-up was so slow that I didn’t expect the relationship, even though it felt right.

Kitty’s world, as created by Carrie, is fascinating. Each mystery has twists and turns that even a chronic mystery-reader can’t predict. The stories are engrossing, and it is easy to become so involved in the novel that you forget to eat! Carrie’s weres and vampires aren’t perfect beings- this isn’t an idealized view of the paranormal world. This world is made all the more real because there are pluses and negatives to everything - you can’t get sick as a werewolf, but you can’t maintain a pregnancy, either. The novels are filled with tough choices, and moral ambiguities, all of which contributes to how real it feels. Each character plays an integral part, and they all help develop both the plot and each other’s personalities. It is amazing how surprised you can be by a character, only to look back in the story and see where the path started towards that event. Carrie’s sense of foreshadowing and hidden clues to the mystery is incredible.

I highly recommend Kitty and the Silver Bullet, as well as the rest of the Kitty series to anyone with an interest in mysteries, suspense, werewolves, or just a good, engrossing read. If you haven’t read a werewolf or paranormal book yet, this series is a good place to start, because of the verisimilitude. Give it a try - you’ll end up reading the rest of the series, and then looking for more good paranormal reads!

If you’re still wavering on whether to read Kitty and the Silver Bullet, check out the great storyline and Carrie’s gripping writing in chapter 1 of Kitty and the Silver Bullet, posted as an entry in Carrie’s blog! Excerpts are tricky, though - I just read the excerpt in the back of Kitty and the Silver Bullet, and now I don’t want to wait until Fall 2008 for the next book!

This book was received from the publisher for review, but I bought the first three books myself.

Body Surfing: A Novel, by Anita Shreve, is being released in paperback January 15, 2008, and I had the opportunity to receive the hardcover from the publisher for review.

Anita Shreve writes bestselling novels with intricate storylines that don’t come with a pat ending. If you are looking for a romance novel or chick-lit ending, this may not be the right book for you. However, if you are looking for a beautifully written story that keeps you on your toes for each of the 291 pages, this is a great one to pick up! There are surprises around every corner, and the characters come alive as the story continues.

The story arc in Body Surfing takes place on the shore of New Hampshire - near Portsmouth, and less than an hour from where we live. We live near a beach, and I can easily visualize the sand, waves, and beach houses farther north. Anita Shreve does a beautiful job writing descriptive passages of the characters and their surroundings, and keeps you interested in the passages. The feel of the sand and the pull of the waves pulls you into the story just like the undertow.

Sydney, Body Surfing’s main character, is a young woman who has been divorced and widowed by age 29. Aside from that identity, she is also a typical New England liberal, with a Jewish father and Unitarian Universalist mother. Sydney was floundering, trying to find her footing after her husband’s death, and agreed to live with the Edwards family for the summer, tutoring their daughter Julie for the SATs. Julie’s mother thinks she will get into top schools, and considers my alma mater a safety school. (hmph) Sydney tutors Julie, but is also looking for her hidden talents, as it is clear from an unbiased eye that she is not gifted academically.

While it would be easy to show Julie as simply “slow”, Shreve draws her out as a naive but yet multifaceted teenager, who wants love, friends, and acceptance. She wants to please her parents, but is torn between that want and the need for independence. Julie’s mother is very much a New England monied matriarch - Sydney is not someone with whom she would normally associate, so she tries to ignore her. Julie’s father, however, is a sensitive soul who acknowledges his daughter’s limitations, and connects with Sydney as they spend peaceful times in his rose garden.

Julie’s two brothers are closer to Sydney’s age - Ben and Jeff. They are busy with work for the first part of the summer, but when they do visit, there’s definite attraction between both brothers and Sydney. Can she change positions within the family from “employee” to “girlfriend”? Who will accept her, and who will stay at arm’s length? How will this shift in position change the relationships between family members? These are all questions whose answers are slowly revealed by Shreve in Body Surfing, and (as in real life) change through time and experiences.

As the story progresses, we are involved in the inevitable relationship, but there are constant twists and turns that I doubt any reader would suspect! The questions raised by Body Surfing are those that can both rock your emotional foundation, and try to discern what can make you feel secure. To whom do you turn when things aren’t going well, and who can you trust when there is a problem?

After reading Body Surfing, I originally wished for a pat ending, but then realized that the unexpected ending was much more thought-provoking and interesting. I highly recommend this novel for anyone with a love of the beach, family relationships, or simply a love of good writing. Anita Shreve has definitely written a wonderful novel - I suggest picking it up when you can!

Beginner’s Greek, by James Collins reads like an old-world romance brought into the modern world. Parts of it even read like a Greek tragedy, with the Fates intervening in lives before the two main characters can be together. The Chorus of supporting characters play roles that will keep the characters apart, and then bring them together. The need to do the Right Thing in so ingrained in the main character, Peter, that he thinks of everyone else’s happiness before his own. Peter’s deep-seated belief in romance fits with his honorable nature. At its heart, Beginner’s Greek is a novel about true love that runs deep, despite the twists of fate.

We first meet Peter Russell when he is on the plane flying from New York to LA. He has the heart of a true romantic, and is convinced that his true love will sit next to him on the plane. He has a feeling that this flight will be of great importance to his life. We wait with him, as traveler after traveler passes his row. When Holly sits with him, his observations and descriptions of her remind me of charming old world gentlemen, though he’s in his mid-twenties.

Peter and Holly bond over the book she is reading, and the magical “click” happens between them, connecting them into the magnetic pull of love at first sight. Of course, the Fates must intervene and work their magic, so Peter loses the piece of paper with Holly’s number on it. Unfortunately, she didn’t give him her last name, and therefore he has no way of contacting her. He tries everything he can think of to track down the number, and then he needs to return to his life in New York without having contacted her.

We skip ahead a few years, and find that Peter and Holly have been pulled together again, but there are always circumstances and honor keeping them from being involved. Peter is a kind, gentle soul, and isn’t capable of the devious machinations required to gain what he most desires, though there is a reasonably easy way of doing so. Peter’s depth of character and sense of honor make the reader wish that there were Peters out there for all of us! We also want to stand with Peter, and struggle with him - what choices would we make if we were in his place?

James Collins creates wonderfully flawed characters, and the imperfections give them life. Almost all the characters have areas in which they are deeply flawed, and other areas which are admirable. As time passes, we find that the machinations of the supporting characters leads to their (inevitable?) downfall or their turn toward honorable behavior. One scene in particular reminds me of myths in which Zeus is angry with a mortal - vengeance is wrought from above!

I cannot say enough good things about Beginner’s Greek. It’s got a feel that just warms your heart. Even when things aren’t going well for the main characters, James Collins writes such beautiful descriptions of their lives, their romantic thoughts, and Peter’s chivalrous behavior that you have the belief that the author and characters will do the Right Thing, and everything will end well.

If you enjoy the feel of black and white movies, old world romance, deus ex machina, or simply that true goodness is rewarded in the end, you will love Beginner’s Greek. If you like literary fiction, you will also love this novel - this is omniscient narrator done well! I highly recommend Beginner’s Greek to everyone - I wish I could give it to all the readers on my shopping list!
(as of 12/20/2007, this book is available for pre-order, and will be released in January, 2008)

This book was received from the publisher for review

The Third Eye, by Mahtab Narsimhan is a beautiful story that intertwines village life, religion, and magic in India. The young adult genre is filled with books that fit into specific niches, and I wasn’t quite sure where The Third Eye would fit - its description of Hindu Gods, fantasy, and rural Indian village life seemed very unusual.

Once I opened The Third Eye, I didn’t care what niche it fit, I just cared what happened next! There is really no way to do justice to such a unique, beautiful, intense, and mysterious novel except to strongly suggest that you read it. Mahtab Narsimhan has created a world of wonderful characters who leap off the pages. In her Acknowledgments, she thanks her son and his group of book-loving friends for reading her book - if it could pass muster with a group of adolescent boys, it has already passed the most impressive impressive test!

The Third Eye starts as a man from a village named Morni is trying to escape something that is chasing him in the forest outside the village. He doesn’t make it back to the village alive, and his body is deformed by whatever had hidden in the shadows.

In Morni, there is a lot of uncertainty - they lost their healer a year ago, along with his daughter, who left her two children. Tara and Suraj are left with their father, who is now a very different, quiet man who doesn’t say anything when his new wife Kali mistreats his children. Tara is an older sister very devoted to her family, and makes sure she takes care of the house, her step-mother, and spoiled step-sister so that she will be able to keep her brother from being beaten or losing a meal.

During the New Year celebration of Diwali, Tara and Suraj sit on the edges of the excitement, watching the villagers. A new healer arrives named Zarku, and while he seems to be able to know what is in the hearts and minds of the villagers, he makes Tara and Suraj very uncomfortable. Tara feels that Zarku’s black eyes are evil - all three of them. His third eye is what gives him his evil powers, and through those powers he can control more and more of the village. The number of signs that something is wrong in the village increase as time passes - men who disagree with the healer go missing, there are rumors of Vetalas (ghosts) wandering the forests, and life gets wore for Tara and Suraj.

Tara and Suraj leave the village on a quest to find their mother and grandfather, the powerful healer, so they can help the villagers. As they journey through the forests and around villages they have many challenges, several of which would make adults turn back. Tara does not give up, she prays to Ganesh, and finds help. She bargains with Yuma, the lord of death, as she faces one hurdle after another. Will Tara gain the courage and self-confidence to help herself?

I love novels with female lead characters, especially novels aimed at the young adult fantasy set. Like Max in Maximum Ride, Tara has put the burden of caring for others on her own shoulders, and she pulls on her own inner strengths to overcome challenges - even when she thinks the challenge is too great. The Third Eye shows women and girls in varying levels of power - heading a household, healing illnesses, helping others, and yet also shows the old custom of Sati, pushing a young widow toward her husband’s funeral pyre.

The Third Eye is a beautifully written look at rural life and mystical powers, and should appeal to most tween/young adult readers. There are several scenes which might be too intense and violent for younger tweens, however - I would suggest it for ages 12+ at least. I am going to hang on to my copy for a couple years so that my daughters can read such an inspiring story of a teenage girl’s courage as she tries to save her family and her village from evil.

I highly recommend The Third Eye for anyone with an eye for adventure. Add in mysticism, and magic, mix with the world of rural India, and you have a novel even adults can’t put down!

This book was received from the publisher, The Dundurn Group for review

True to the Game, by Teri Woods is the book that really put urban lit on the map when it was first published in 1994. Her novel gives us a vivid look into the gritty reality of urban life - the women, drug lords, and the rest of the residents of South Philly. True to the Game II continues that look into the underbelly of urban life. If you like books and movies about the lives of mafia and crime lords, you will really enjoy these two books, and be anxiously awaiting the release of True to the Game III.

When Teri Woods first self-published True to the Game in the early 1990s, she was selling it to the people in her neighborhood of Philly, as well as on the streets of New York City before finding a publisher. A middle-class, mid-thirties, white woman from the suburbs was probably not on her radar as a potential reader, but now that True to the Game has been republished, along with True to the Game II, here I am reading and reviewing. If you grew up worrying about being politically correct and/or in a different environment from the setting of True to the Game you may have some difficulties with some of the language used in the novels. No, I’m not talking about swearing, murders, or drugs. Within the culture of these novels, the word “nigga” is used between characters casually and with great frequency. It was very disconcerting at first, especially after years of being taught how to be politically correct, but once you really get the feel for the story line and the characters, the words flow and the language contributes to the book’s authenticity.

True to the Game introduces us to a world many of us have never seen - the life in and around the projects of Philadelphia. We meet Gena, a 17 year old who is at once mature for her age as well as immature and superficial. Gena and her friends are accustomed to making it on their own, finding ways to get themselves out of the projects. However, their method of doing this seems to rely exclusively on getting money from boyfriends - often thousands at a time. Getting “paper” is an expected part of life and part of why you spend time with men. You wouldn’t date someone who wasn’t “papered up”.

I was originally annoyed with Gena’s perspective until I realized that we were both expecting money as our due at the same age, though I was expecting it from my parents, while she was expecting it from men. I became impressed with Gena’s attitude when she ditches her boyfriend after he beats her up - there are too many books where the women stay with abusive men. Of course, if Gena hadn’t dumped Jamal, she wouldn’t be available when a much better offer comes along.

Gena’s world changes when she starts dating Quadir, one of the top drug lords - she’s got paper. Gena goes on a trip to the Bahamas, and she moves up from an apartment on the edge of the projects to a mansion. Woods tells us Gena’s story from multiple points of view - Qua, Gena, their friends, and their rivals. When Gena has made it big, her spending feels wildly excessive and overdone, but in my world, wealth is understated. In her world, if you’ve got it, flaunt it! She definitely flaunts it well, with more clothes than she can wear, rooms that are never used, furs, and jewelry encrusted with diamonds.

True to the Game is an intense book that pulls the reader into a world that exists outside the law and in a unique time and place. Anyone who has lived in the world of drugs, crime, and a mix of poverty and excess will love reading a book that hits so close to home. For those of us who have never been a part of that world, it offers us a peek inside - a rare opportunity to really understand the world from a completely different point of view.

When True to the Game concluded, I didn’t know how a sequel would work. Even the author writes,

“The first thing that ran through my mind was, how? How do I write the sequel to a book that has been deemed a classic? How will I keep the spirit of my characters alive? How will I write a Part II that everyone will love just as much as they loved the first”

Gena has lost Qua, and her world changed forever. While I had wondered what would happen next to Gena, the story line seemed to have come to a conclusion. I was curious to start True to the Game II right away and see if it could stand as a legitimate sequel to the original, or if it would be a shadow of True to the Game, especially since there had been a 13 year gap between the two publications.

My skepticism was unfounded. By page 9 of True to the Game II, I was hooked. Gena is working on getting herself back into the game, and ends up hooking up with the one man she should be avoiding. We cringe impotently as we see what is happening, but since Gena doesn’t have the same omniscient perspective, she can’t see where she is heading, nor the true identity of her new man.

True to the Game II continues to explore the hidden underworld of drug lords, crime, and cops in Philly. This second novel shows us the law enforcement perspective, and I was surprised to find myself cheering for the “bad guys”. Woods has really created characters you with whom you can bond, bypassing the stereotypes and exploring the realities. There are so many hidden secrets unearthed, and so many secrets hidden in this novel that it feels like we are walking through a maze - who knows which secret, and when will the other characters find out what has been hidden? When one character is having a hard time living with his decisions, we squirm for him, and we want to beat Gena over the head for missing clues about her new boyfriend. These intensely drawn characters come to life, even if you are reading about them from the world of the suburbs.

It’s possible that the language of True to the Game II is just as strong as in the first novel, but I had become used to it. The shock had worn off, and it wasn’t distracting any more. There is more violence in book 2, however, and it’s more personal - one man’s vendetta. In book 1, however, the violence is more routine - one group of drug dealers versus another. Seeing the world of the streets from the police officers’ perspective is also unique to True to the Game II, and while perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised by the behavior of the police, I am appalled. I suddenly understand why some people believe that police officers are part of the problem rather than part of the solution.

The secrets that were unearthed and hidden in True to the Game II, as well as the cliffhanger ending make me anxious to find out what happens in True to the Game III! Unlike my reluctance at the beginning of the other novels, I doubt I’ll be starting it with any reservations at all.

I give both books high marks, and they are definitely recommended reading for anyone with a love of crime novels!

(No one was harmed, and only one dinner almost burned while doing research for this review)

These novels were received from the publisher for review

I never read excerpts, because they end up just teasing me with what I can’t have. However, I did read the excerpt of True to the Game III, because I just couldn’t stop at the ending of True to the Game II. I can’t wait to read about Gena’s next adventure. It has not yet been released but it is available for pre-order, so you can make sure you get it as soon as it’s released.

In the winter, there’s a sure-fire way to warm up: grab a couple of quilts and a romance novel. Trust me - you’ll be warm in no time! But which novel to choose? I just finished two great ones - the historical romance Laird of the Mist, by Paula Quinn and the vampire romance Lord of the Night by Robin T. Popp. The main characters have each written letters to readers of the other books, tying these two books together. I started reading romances after cutting my teeth with vampire and supernatural novels, which referred me to vampire romances, which then led me to historical romances. If you’ve enjoyed chick lit books, don’t dismiss these novels because they are romances - you’ll enjoy a well-written romance, with or without fangs.

There are formulas used in all romances - but even given that romances follow a formula, there are books where a touch of the unexpected takes the book from formulaic to engrossing. With the number of romantic novels I’ve read, you would think that I would have seen all the possible story lines, but no - both of these novels have that unexpected twist. In Lord of the Night, Erik Winslow is a vampire who trains the decedents of his brother how to become vampire slayers. In Laird of the Mist, Callum MacGregor is a Scottish Laird whose clan has been proscribed - they can’t own land nor speak or use their given surname. Each of these Lords is really a lord with naught but a castle. Callum and Erik are both dark heroes who really need someone to lighten them up a bit - but what will help them change?

Lord of the Night is book four of Robin T. Popp’s Night Slayer series. I am sure that reading the rest of the series would help you understand the background from the beginning, but I read and enjoyed Lord of the Night without having read the first three books. Popp gives the reader the background you would have gained from reading the first three novels, and yet she does it in a way that feels natural, rather than by rote. The Night Slayer series also introduced me to a new world of vampires - Robin Popp has a mix of good and bad vampires as well as vampire slayers all coexisting in a way I haven’t seen before.

Erik Wilson is a Prime, a vampire created when a chupacabra bit and killed him four hundred years ago. As a prime, he was able to retain his personality, and when his brother Angus was bitten by a chupacabra but not killed, they worked to protect their family and town from progeny (vampires created by other vampires - mindless killing machines) and bad Primes. Erik has continued to train his brother’s descendants, but twenty years ago, a small army of progeny attacked his home, killing most of his remaining family, leaving only his nephew Gerard, Gerard’s young daughter, and the young daughter of a good friend.

Kacie Renault was one of those young girls, and she grew up learning to fight vampires, taught by Gerard and Erik. She has become estranged from Gerard, who had adopted her after her parents were killed, and her hatred of vampires includes Erik. When one of Erik’s friends since childhood, a Prime named Sedrik, is killed, Kacie is thought to have been the vampire slayer who killed him. Erik’s other two friends (Ty and Michael) were Sedrik’s brothers, and now he is caught between a woman he has vowed to protect and his friends of four hundred years.

Lord of the Night continues with secrets, warring loyalties, and a budding romance fighting for center stage. Is Kacie’s attraction to Erik strong enough to protect him, or will her hatred of vampires harm him? How will Erik choose between his friends and Kacie, or will they relent? Unexpected twists happen everywhere - who is betraying Erik’s confidences? What is Erik hiding in his lower level of the castle? What secrets will be revealed from Kacie’s short life and Erik’s long one?

Popp keeps us on our toes throughout Lord of the Night, as we plumb the depths of the small town of Hocksley, England. There’s a psychic link between vampires created by the same chupacabra, which helps us connect quickly with Erik’s friends. Michael and Ty manage to be mysterious, yet well fleshed-out characters. They want to avenge the death of their brother, so there isn’t much interaction between the friends once Erik starts protecting Kacie. We look into the past and get a peek at the world from their point of view - there aren’t any wooden secondary characters.

And oh-my-gosh how hot can the romance get? Popp can definitely write scenes that will have you fanning yourself, and you won’t be able to to put the book down. She takes things slow, especially because Kacie is involved with someone when she arrives. The waiting creates a simmering tension between the characters that is fun to watch, and very enjoyable when it bursts into flame! I’m not sure I’d recommend reading this in a doctor’s waiting room - I ended up blushing furiously a few times when I did that. However, the storyline and romance kept my mind off any pain or nerves because of the doctor!

Laird of the Mist is Paula Quinn’s fourth historical romance. While I’ve only read a few other historical romances, her writing captured my attention and I look forward to reading Paula Quinn’s other books. Quinn has set her story in the Scottish Highlands in the seventeenth century, and it’s clear that she has researched the beautiful scenery, the regional dialects, as well as the history. The Clan MacGregor really was proscribed during that time period, though it’s unlikely that the events in Laird of the Mist actually happened.

The two main characters are pitted against each other from the start. Kate Campbell is a lady who has been taught by her brother and guardians how to fight after her parents were killed by the MacGregors. Her much-disliked uncle took her brother to is castle for training, and has now come back to take her home with him. While he is there, a raiding party from the hills arrives, her uncle’s guard engages them in battle, and the fighting becomes fierce. Kate begins to fear for her life when a handsome man in MacGregor plaid rescues her. The MacGregors and the Campbells have been feuding for generations, and the MacGregors are looking for Kate’s uncle, who disappeared either before or during the fighting.

Callum MacGregor is instantly attracted to Kate, but he knows that he can’t get involved with her because of the feud between their families. Instead he “captures” her to hold for ransom - he will release Kate to her family once he has been given the opportunity to fight her uncle. Because the clan is proscribed, Callum and his men must return to their safe haven (the Mist of Laird of the Mist) as quickly as possible, so they ride despite their injuries. Kate’s satus as a captive and her injuries require her to ride with Callum, his arm holding her to him. Neither one seems particularly upset by this turn of events, though they are both quick to deny it!

As Laird of the Mist continues, we learn more about why Callum is called “The Devil”, what transpired between the MacGregors and the Campbells, and about the lives of the MacGregors on their misty island. There’s a dance between Kate and Callum, how can they remain true to their family while falling in love with their enemy? Quinn changes perspectives, as well - showing us what is happening with Kate’s brother and uncle as they ride to rescue her - this leads the reader to question who is good and who is evil, and when is killing necessary?

I shouldn’t neglect the romance part of a review of a romance, should I? After I tried to write romance scenes, I developed a strong admiration for anyone who can write them, especially those who can write them well. Quinn writes romance scenes that are steamy without crossing the line into p0rn0graphic. She uses vivid descriptions that may make your toes curl, but you won’t be feeling the wind-chill! As with Lord of the Night, I don’t recommend reading Laird of the Mist in waiting rooms, though it is very distracting!

I loved meeting all the MacGregors - Quinn does a wonderful job creating fleshed-out secondary characters, all of whom create vivid mental pictures, and speak in a unique voice. Once you, too, have fallen for the MacGregor clan, you’ll be happy to know that Paula Quinn has a second book about the clan coming out in August, 2008 - A Highlander Never Surrenders. It’s not even available for Amazon pre-order right now, but keep your eyes on her news page for updates.

When we open a romance novel, we are expecting a happy ending. We know from the beginning that Erik and Kacie’s story will end happily in Lord of the Night and Callum and Kate will find happiness in Laird of the Mist, the paths they travel are filled with ups, downs, and surprises. Go pick up these two romances and find out what happens in the middle of the books!

These novels were received from the publisher for review.

This is a book I received from the publisher, Dundurn Press.

The Ruby Kingdom - Passage to Mythrin is a Young Adult novel and/or tween novel by Patricia Bow. I chose to read The Ruby Kingdom to myself for the first reading, as I wasn’t sure how much violence, suspense, and other Young Adult material there was. I prefer to know a book before I read it to my kids - even my 9 year old, who is somewhat sensitive about violence. After reading it to myself, I started reading it to my daughters.

The Ruby Kingdom starts when a girl named Ammy has arrived to live with her grandmother and cousin for six months when her parents are in South America. Simon and Amelia are both in eighth grade, but otherwise they are quite different. Simon has grown up with his grandmother, Celeste, in the small town of Dunstone. He remembers Ammy from two years before, and how much fun they had together.

After being re-introduced to his now-quiet cousin who arrives dressed in all black and with neon red hair tipped with “ballpark mustard yellow”, Simon wants to walk away. However, his grandmother gives him the mission of making Ammy feel at home, so he takes her out with his best friend Ike to show her around.

Ammy, or Amelia as she now wants to be known, wants to see something cool, and for a kid who lived in Vancouver, a small town two hours from Toronto isn’t cool. The boys brave the frigid temperatures to take her to the gorge, and “upside down mountain” with caves. When they are standing, overlooking the gorge, they see a bright blue flash of light, and then they see something coming out of the cave with the blue light - but what is it, and what is the ring that they discover in the cave?

Patricia Bow packs a lot of action and interest into The Ruby Kingdom from the first chapter. My kids were quickly sucked in, and were annoyed when I wouldn’t read a second chapter. They were still talking about what had happened the next day, and waiting to see what would come next. This is especially great because a lot of fantasy as well as a lot of tween/YA/read-aloud books start slow. They end up great, but you have to push through the first chapter or two. In The Ruby Kingdom, you are drawn in right away.

By using the third person, Bow is able to switch perspectives without confusing her readers. Simon is a reserved, somewhat geeky kid, and he will clearly do anything for his grandmother, including accepting the challenge of making Amelia feel at home. Meanwhile, Amelia is disgruntled at being left by her parents, and wants to do anything exciting. She is the one taking the risks, and pulling him along with her as they begin their adventure. As a mother of young girls, any book that starts with the girl leading the boys into adventures is one that has my vote from the start! Most fantasy involves main characters who are orphaned boys, and while Simon is an orphaned boy, Amelia is the one who leads. The difference between what Amelia is thinking and what Simon is thinking is profound, and the story is wonderfully told by looking into both of their heads.

The cousins and Ike learn that the blue flash is a type of gate that allows passage between a cave in Dunstone and the magical world of Mythrin. There is unrest in Mythrin, and the three teens need to figure out what is wrong, as well as what they need to do. Like normal teens, they quarrel about what they should do with what they have discovered - I especially enjoyed this because there are too many novels where the kids are instantly in accord with each other because of their new circumstances. In real kids, stress can bring about a lot of bickering, and The Ruby Kingdom actually dares to show that side of the three young teens.

As the story continues and they learn about the mysterious strangers who appear in Dunstone, the “people” of Mythrin, and the politics involved, the differences between Amelia and Simon become even clearer. Simon is hesitant, and slow to become involved. Amelia is brash, and leaps into things with both feet. Even as they are taking different approaches to the mysteries that surround them, they are pulled together. The cousins were put together by circumstance at first, but then they feel a bond between them.

Each of the characters in the book is really brought to life in The Ruby Kingdom- I can picture my older daughter exploring along with Simon, Ike, and Amelia. When they discover the first mysterious stranger, Mara, you can visualize her as she appears to them. You can understand why Amelia is drawn Mara’s uniqueness, and why Simon is distrustful. The next stranger is unsettling, and Patricia Bow describes his eyes as he watches the teens in such a way that it is haunting. Even the grandmother, Celeste, is brought to life - she could easily be a caricature, but you see her love for her grandchildren as well as her own personality.

The Ruby Kingdom gets high marks from me, and while we haven’t finished it as a read-aloud book, it has gotten the attention of all 3 listeners (9, 7, 4). It completely enchanted me, and kept me wondering what would happen next in the magical and perilous worlds - ours and Mythrin. Each chapter unlocks the world a bit, and I am really looking forward to reading as Patricia Bow continues the Mythrin series! I would recommend this for kids about 8-16, as well as adults who enjoy reading about fantasy - a great book for those who enjoyed Harry Potter, and it’s less violent. This is a book that is vividly brought to life, and my only complaint is that the sequel is not yet available!

Addendum: When we finished the series, the girls thought that Book 2 becoming available in May for BG’s birthday was perfect. They also said that it was the best book I had read to them - even better than Harry Potter! They now want to become shape-shifters when they grow up…