Damien Locke is the son of the Mistress of Mayhem, a mad scientist supervillain living in Golden City. On his sixteenth birthday, he has a huge party to celebrate his thumbprint becoming a “V,” meaning that he’s a born supervillain. Except that it doesn’t. It becomes a mythical “X,” which can only mean one thing: Continue Reading…
Muse and Reverie by Charles de Lint: Book Review
In the author’s note at the beginning of this volume of short stories, Charles de Lint says that he’s taking a break from Newford for a while but that he still has enough short stories lying around to publish one more collection. I read that and my heart stopped for a second. I love Newford Continue Reading…
Bite Me by Christopher Moore: Book Review
I don’t think I can even begin to explain the appeal of these books. A synopsis is going to make it sound ridiculous. A giant shaved vampire cat named Chet is stalking the San Francisco night? Puh-leeze. Except that leaves out Abby Normal, Emergency Backup Mistress of the Greater Bay Area Night. I. ♥ This. Continue Reading…
Thumb Flagging by Jerome Peterson: Book Review
Willy is a seasoned hitchhiker who introduces Jay to the wonders of the open road in order to boost his self-confidence and rid him of his spoiled-Catholic-boy tendencies. I enjoyed this. As you can imagine in a book about hitchhiking, it’s a bit of a picaresque novel with stories about the other hitchers and rides Continue Reading…
Stardust by Neil Gaiman: Book Review
Synopsis from GoodReads: Stardust is an utterly charming fairy tale in the tradition of The Princess Bride and The Neverending Story. Neil Gaiman, creator of the darkly elegant Sandman comics and author of The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish, tells the story of young Tristran Thorn and his adventures in the land Continue Reading…
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater: Book Review
Grace has been obsessed with the wolves living in the woods behind her house for years. There’s one in particular that she thinks of as her wolf. On the day that she starts to think that there may be more to these wolves than meets the eye, some local hunters decide to go wolf hunting Continue Reading…
Vampire Rising by Jason Henderson: Book Review
Alex Van Helsing has heard it thousands of times before. Yes, his last name is really Van Helsing. No, not like that Van Helsing. No, he doesn’t kill monsters. To paraphrase his father, that kind of thing doesn’t happen. Except when it does. What a fun, action-packed story! It begins with Alex running toward a Continue Reading…
Serena by Ron Rash: Book Review
In Depression-era North Carolina, a timber baron marries Serena and brings her to the lumber camps to live. Her ambition outmatches his and she drives him to succeed, prosper, and expand at any cost. Wow. What a character Ron Rash has created in Serena. I detested her, but she is going to stick with me Continue Reading…
Moon Called by Patricia Briggs: Book Review
Mercy Thompson is a walker. Not that kind of walker. A “skinwalker.” She can shift into coyote form easily and at will. Her sexy neighbor is the Alpha of the local werewolf pack. She’s good friends with a vampire. Her life isn’t exactly normal. When a new lone werewolf shows up at her garage one Continue Reading…
People of the Sword by Neil O’Donnell: Book Review
The powerful wizard Crarnock has decided to wipe out humanity with the combination of his magic and his goblin hordes. In order to mount a resistance, the people opposing him must put aside their prejudices, band together and work as one. My huge problem was that this needed a lot more editing. I’m not talking Continue Reading…
The Prince of Mist by Carlos Ruiz Zafón: Book Review
When Max’s family moves to the beach to avoid being caught in the city during a war, they don’t realize that worse trouble is going to find them. First of all, I think the name Roland should be retired from fiction forever. It is impossible for me to read it without seeing The Gunslinger. When Continue Reading…