A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb

In the class of the high school English teacher she has been haunting, Helen feels them: for the first time in 130 years, human eyes are looking at her. They belong to a boy, a boy who has not seemed remarkable until now. And Helen—terrified, but intrigued—is drawn to him. The fact that he is in a body and she is not presents this unlikely couple with their first challenge. But as the lovers struggle to find a way to be together, they begin to discover the secrets of their former lives and of the young people they come to possess.

This book was very different. Although it reminded me of The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold it was still very different from it. It was wrote very eloquently but I almost felt detached from the characters, like I needed to feel a bit closer. I loved the story though and was very sad that it was over so fast. I really loved the idea of two ghosts falling in love, and I wanted more at the end. More of their love story. I have to give it 4 stars as it stirred emotion in me, made me think, almost made me want to cry, and that is what I look for in a book. Emotion. I also could not put it down!

The Cry of the Icemark by Stuart Hill

The Icemark is a kingdom in grave danger. Its king has been killed in battle, its enemy lies in wait, and its fate rests on the shoulders of one girl. Thirrin Freer Strong-in-the-Arm Lindenshield, a beautiful princess and an intrepid warrior, must find a way to protect her land from a terrible invasion. She will forge an extraordinary alliance of noble Snow Leopards, ancient Vampires, and ferocious Wolf-folk. She will find unexpected strength in her friendship with a young warlock. And she will lead her allies to victory with her fierce battle cry: "Blood! Blast! And Fire!"

This YA book is full of adventure and lots of amazing creatures. This poor young girl who is only 14 years old must search out allies for her tiny little country. She is able to muster wolf folk, giant snow leopards, vampires, even the woods help! She shows amazing bravery and even fights alongside everyone else when the war happens. I enjoyed this book as an adult but would have LOVED it when I was about 13. I had a hard time getting through it, but I think it was because it was quite long and I've had too much going on with a sick child. I'll rate it 3 1/2 stars though I'm not exactly sure why I don't rate it 4. It just wasn't quite there I guess.

The Sun Witch by Linda Winstead Jones

For 300 years, the Fyne women have called the mountain Orianan their home, inheriting the supernatural arts from their mothers--but a long-ago curse makes true love unattainable for them.

When she meets the green-eyed soldier of her dreams, youngest sister Sophie discovers that she has been gifted with abundant fertility.

Now, she and her lover must call on all their strengths, both earthly and supernatural, to fight the curse which promises to end their happiness.

I was pleasantly surprised with this book. I had expected a typical romance and that is why I had put off reading it for months and months. But it was not at all a typical romance! When Sophie's child is kidnapped she sets out on an adventure that leads her to the evil Emperors hands where he is determined that she will be his wife. But he does not know that she is already in love and has no intention of marrying him. He also has no idea that she's a witch who may have just discovered how strong she really is. There was a lot to this story and the second half was fantastic! I'll miss reading Sophie's story but I'll still read about her sisters in hopes of hearing what happens to Sophie and Kane. I give this 5 stars!

Ironside by Holly Black

In the realm of Faerie, the time has come for Roiben's coronation. Uneasy in the midst of the malevolent Unseelie Court, pixie Kaye is sure of only one thing -- her love for Roiben. But when Kaye, drunk on faerie wine, declares herself to Roiben, he sends her on a seemingly impossible quest. Now Kaye can't see or speak to Roiben unless she can find the one thing she knows doesn't exist: a faerie who can tell a lie.

Miserable and convinced she belongs nowhere, Kaye decides to tell her mother the truth -- that she is a changeling left in place of the human daughter stolen long ago. Her mother's shock and horror sends Kaye back to the world of Faerie to find her human counterpart and return her to Ironside. But once back in the faerie courts, Kaye finds herself a pawn in the games of Silarial, queen of the Seelie Court. Silarial wants Roiben's throne, and she will use Kaye, and any means necessary, to get it. In this game of wits and weapons, can a pixie outplay a queen?

Holly Black spins a seductive tale at once achingly real and chillingly enchanted, set in a dangerous world where pleasure mingles with pain and nothing is exactly as it appears.

Although I enjoy these books I'm not totally in love with them. It was a nice fast and easy read though and worth the time I took to read it. I was entertained through the whole thing but occasionally got annoyed with the nonchalance of everything. Not sure if that makes sense, but that's the only way I can think to describe it. I also love Roiben and wish there was more of him in this book. I rate this 3 stars.

The Dead Girls Dance

The Dead Girls' Dance: The Morganville Vampires, Book II

by Rachel Caine

Claire has her share of challenges. Like being a genius in a school that favors beauty over brains; homicidal girls in her dorm, and finding out that her college town is overrun with the living dead. On the up side, she has a new boyfriend with a vampire-hunting dad. But when a local fraternity throws the Dead Girls' Dance, hell is really going to break loose.

I love this series! It has action through the whole thing and I could not put this book down! I can't wait to get the next one from the library! Great series and I totally recommend! 4 stars!

A Rush of Wings by Adrian Phoenix

HIS NAME IS DANTE.

Dark. Talented. Beautiful. Star of the rock band Inferno. Rumored owner of the hot New Orleans nightspot Club Hell. Born of the Blood, then broken by an evil beyond imagination.

HIS PAST IS A MYSTERY.

F.B.I. Special Agent Heather Wallace has been tracking a sadistic serial murderer known as the Cross Country Killer, and the trail has led her to New Orleans, Club Hell, and Dante. But the dangerously attractive musician not only resists her investigation, he claims to be "nightkind": in other words, a vampire. Digging into his past for answers reveals little. A juvenile record a mile long. No social security number. No known birth date. In and out of foster homes for most of his life before being taken in by a man named Lucien DeNoir, who appears to guard mysteries of his own.

HIS FUTURE IS CHAOS.

What Heather does know about Dante is that something links him to the killer -- and she's pretty sure that link makes him the CCK's next target. Heather must unravel the truth about this sensual, complicated, vulnerable young man -- who, she begins to believe, may indeed be a vampire -- in order to finally bring a killer to justice. But Dante's past holds a shocking, dangerous secret, and once it is revealed not even Heather will be able to protect him from his destiny....

I thought this was a great story! I liked that it wasn't first person and had more then one main character, it was from the perceptive of a few different characters. It was different from any other paranormal I've read and was a nice change. I wish it had a better cover, this was one I only read at home and got teased a bit by my husband. But I can't wait to read the next one! I rate this 4 stars.

Changeling by Yasmine Galenorn

Changeling (Candace's 8/8)

Delilah, a were tabby cat by a twist of genetic fate, and her half-Fae, half-human sisters are on the front lines of a brewing war. Just recovering from a battle, and adjusting to a relationship with human cop Chase, Delilah is drawn into investigating the mysterious, gruesome deaths of the Rainier Were Puma Clan and becomes attracted to their leader, Zachary. As she fears, a new threat emerges, manipulated by an old enemy, and it will take all of their efforts, and acceptance of her fate, to bring them down. The second in Galenorn's D'Artigo Sisters series (Witchling, 2006) ratchets up the danger and romantic entanglements. Along with the quirky humor and characters readers have come to expect is a moving tale of a woman more comfortable in her cat skin than in her human form, looking to find her place in the world. Davis, Nina C.

I enjoyed this book although there were a few mistakes here and there that did bother me at times. It wasn't a WOW book but the author has been very creative in creating the world and the people and creatures in it. I rate it 3 1/2 stars.

Touch the Dark by Karen Chance

Cassandra Palmer has been in hiding for three years since she escaped Antonio, the master vampire who raised her after he had her parents killed when she was only four. A gifted clairvoyant, Cassandra was Antonio's useful tool until she discovered his complicity in her parents' deaths and fled his estate. Tony has finally caught up with her, but he isn't the only one. The vampire senate is after her, too, and they've sent sexy vampire Tomas, who insinuated himself into her life by pretending to be an abused runaway, to watch over her. After Cassie and Tomas are attacked, he brings her to the senate. There she learns that the mages are gunning for her, too, as is the powerful vampire Rasputin, who is gearing up to challenge the senate. Cassie is in a race against time to save her own life and find out why so many want her dead. Exciting and inventive, with definite series potential. Kristine Huntley

Although I enjoyed this book I certainly didn't love it. I love the idea, I love her talking to ghosts and all the other things she is able to do. I love all the different 'things' (creatures?) in this book as well. I just had a hard time getting through it. It seemed to drag a bit. BUT that being said, I do think that the next book will be better and I will be adding it to my list to read. I give this 3 stars.

Queen of the Darkness (Dark Jewels Trilogy) Anne Bishop

Jaenelle Angelline now reigns as Queen-protector of the Shadow Realm. No longer will the corrupt Blood slaughter her people and defile her lands. But where one chapter ends, a final, unseen battle remains to be written, and Jaenelle must unleash the terrible power that is Witch to destroy her enemies once and for all.

Even so, she cannot stand alone. Somewhere, long lost in madness, is Daemon, her promised Consort. Only his unyielding love can complete her Court and secure her reign. Yet, even together, their strength may not be enough to hold back the most malevolent of forces.

This is the third of the trilogy and was my favorite. I feel like I finally got a grasp on all the characters and the strange world. I didn't realize how much I felt I was missing in the first two until I read this one and every thing really clicked together. It was good though I wish it could have went on for another chapter just cause the ending was a little abrupt, but it wasn't too bad, I guess we can just imagine what happens in the future. I'll have to reread this series sometime cause I think I will understand it much better. I give this 4 1/2 stars.

Heir to the Shadows (Black Jewels, Book 2) by Anne Bishop

In this violently passionate, "darkly fascinating world,"** the Blood rule: a race of witches and warlocks whose power is channeled through magical jewels. Ambitions unfurl in this second novel of The Black Jewels Trilogy, as the realm's dreams of a liberator have finally been made flesh...

Jaenelle, singled out by prophecy as the living embodiment of magic, is haunted by the cruel battles the Blood have fought over her-for not all of them await her as their Savior. Nothing, however, can deflect her from her destiny-and the day of reckoning looms near. When her memories return. When her magic matures. When she is forced to accept her fate. On that day, the dark Realms will know what it means to be ruled by Witch.

I really enjoyed this book although it was a bit slow for me in the first half. The second half I didn't want to put down. Unfortunately I have a demanding 3 year old and I felt like I was rereading every paragraph because of all the interruptions. I can't wait to read the third book and hope there is more Daemon in it, which I assume there is. This book had more Lucivar and it was nice to get to know him. This is a great series, very creative. I rate it 4 stars.

Once Bitten, Twice Shy by Jennifer Rardin

I'm Jaz Parks. My boss is Vayl, born in Romania in 1744. Died there too, at the hand of his vampire wife, Liliana. But that's ancient history. For the moment Vayl works for the C.I.A. doing what he does best--assassination. And I help. You could say I'm an Assistant Assassin. But then I'd have to kick your ass.

Our current assignment seemed easy. Get close to a Miami plastic surgeon named Assan, a charmer with ties to terrorism that run deeper than a buried body. Find out what he's meeting with that can help him and his comrades bring America to her knees. And then close his beady little eyes forever. Why is it that nothing's ever as easy as it seems?

I enjoyed this book quite a bit. It was different from other vamp and vamp slayer books, but then they all have something different in them. Usually. Hopefully. I liked the main characters pretty well though maybe Jaz got a tad annoying at times. I would have liked to get to know Vayl a bit more cause I feel like I still don't really KNOW him. I will read the next book though and if it's good I'll continue on with this series. It's hard to know whether to rate this a 3 or a 3 1/2. I think I'll go with a 3 1/2 cause I think it really was pretty good and I can't pinpoint any certain thing that I really didn't like. I just didn't totally love it is all.

Lament, The Faery's Queens Deception by Maggie Stafvater

Sixteen-year-old Deirdre Monaghan is a painfully shy but prodigiously gifted musician. She's about to find out she's also a cloverhand—one who can see faeries. Deirdre finds herself infatuated with a mysterious boy who enters her ordinary suburban life, seemingly out of thin air. Trouble is, the enigmatic and gorgeous Luke turns out to be a gallowglass—a soulless faerie assassin. An equally hunky—and equally dangerous—dark faerie soldier named Aodhan is also stalking Deirdre. Sworn enemies, Luke and Aodhan each have a deadly assignment from the Faerie Queen. Namely, kill Deirdre before her music captures the attention of the Fae and threatens the Queen's sovereignty. Caught in the crossfire with Deirdre is James, her wisecracking but loyal best friend. Deirdre had been wishing her life weren't so dull, but getting trapped in the middle of a centuries-old faerie war isn't exactly what she had in mind . . .


This was an amazing story! I would say it's my favorite young adult book about the fae so far. I love how it was wrote and I fell in love with the characters. I want a Luke! I rate this 5 stars. I cannot WAIT for the next book! I'm afraid I'll have a hard time getting into another book now...

Witchling (Book one of Sisters of the Moon) by Yasmine Galenorn

Meet the D'Artigo sisters: half-human, half-faerie, they're savvy-and sexy-operatives for the Otherworld Intelligence Agency. But their mixed-blood heritage short-circuits their talents at all the wrong times. Delilah shapeshifts into a tabby cat whenever she's stressed. Menolly's a vampire who's still trying to get the hang of being undead. And Camille is a wicked-good witch, except her magic's as unpredictable as the weather, as her enemies are about to find out-the hard way.

I thought this was a great book once the story really took off. It probably would have been a 4 1/2 star book but for some reason it took me a little while to get into it (could have been my mood). Once I did get into it I couldn't put this book down. I love all the magic and the strangeness of it all. How often do you run across 3 sisters who are half human, half fae AND a witch, a vampire, and a werecat? Yeah, not too often. I loved all the magical beings and hope that we'll see more then a glimpse of Otherworld in future books. I rate this book 4 stars.

At Grave's End

So far I think this is my favorite of the Night Huntress series. Jeaniene did not disappoint. She really has a way of describing fight scenes that I can picture the whole thing so much better then I can with so many other books. I don't have to skim over them as she makes them much more interesting. I also love that she doesn't end her books with cliffhangers. They have an ending point with the conflict mostly resolved. But you are still anxious for the next one because they are so good.