Book Recommendations

Book Recommendations, by Maree Anderson (for Writers Gone Wild)

Hi y'all,

I'm surrounded by printed manuscripts and entry forms, in the throes of coordinating the RWNZ Clendon Award at the moment. It's a full manuscript contest -- no partials here, baby! So my office looks like a bomb site. Or perhaps, an editor's desk, LOL.

Anyway, direly short on time tonight. It's nearly 5pm, I still need to get changed, grab a snack and hopefully make it to karate class on time. Then rush home, grab a shower, get changed, and head off to Ceroc class. Thursday evenings are busy, what can I say?

So, desperate for inspiration at this late hour, I'm resorting to book recommendations.

Have read a number of really wonderful novels this month:

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

"In Ethan Wate's hometown there lies the darkest of secrets...

There is a girl. Slowly, she pulled the hood from her head... green eyes, black hair. Lena Duchannes.

There is a curse. On the sixteenth moon, of the sixteenth year, The Book will take what it's been promised. And no one can stop it.

In the end, there is a grave.

Lena and Ethan become bound together by a deep, powerful love. But Lena is cursed and, on her sixteenth birthday, her fate will be decided. Ethan never even saw it coming."

"A lush Southern gothic" which is also a YA of the paranormal persuasion. Ate this one up, despite its 500+ pages and all the other stuff I had to get through.

Soulless by Gail Carriger

"Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette.

Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire -- and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate.

With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia is responsible. Can seh figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?"

Loved this book! So did my paranormal YA loving daughter. With its hints of steam-punk, and its very different take on vampires, it was a perfect way to expand her horizons into the historical genre. Utterly charming!

Archangel's Kiss by Nalini Singh

"Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux wakes from a year-long coma to find herself changed -- an angel with wings the colors of midnight and dawn -- but her fragile body needs time to heal before she can take flight. Her lover, the stunningly dangerous archangel Raphael, is used to being in control -- especially when it comes to the woman he considers his own. But Elena has never done well with authority...

They've barely begun to understand each other when Raphael receives an invitation to a ball from the archangel Lijuan. To refuse would be a sign of fatal weakness, so Raphael must ready Elena for the flight to Beijing -- and to the nightmare that awaits them there. Ancient and without conscience, Lijuan holds a power that lies with the dead. And she has organized the most perfect and most vicious of welcomes for Elena..."

Totally awesome. Frankly, I just can't get enough of Nalini's angels. They're incredible! I cried when I read Angels' Blood, the first in the series. (And even though I knew what was coming, I cried the second time I read it, too!). Didn't cry over this one.... but only because I was too busy gasping for breath! If you haven't read Angels' Blood yet, then get thee to a bookstore immediately.... and buy them both.

Your turn: what good books have you read this month?

Cheers,

Maree