The Reformed Vampire Support Group by Catherine Jinks ★★★★☆

Offbeat and Lovely

Fiction- YA –Urban Fantasy/Mystery

Grade 7 and Up

384 pages

Publication Date:  2009

Literary Awards:  ALA's Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults (2010)

Nina Harrison, wishes being a vampire was glamorous like in the movies instead of the reality of monotonous boredom and support group meetings.  So when a chance to investigate a killing of one of their own presents itself Nina is hot on the case.

After a rather surprising start the story rolls on quickly, breaking down preconceived notions.  This story is not your stereotypical paranormal. I love the typical sexy vampire (Buffy forever), but I have to say the lack of glamorization of vampires in this story was such a breath of fresh air.  The premise was great and well thought out with an engaging plot that kept my guessing – which doesn’t happen very often.  The characters were well crafted with elaborate back stories and eccentricies.  Ms. Jinks has a real talent for turning a phrase and deliciously layers in dramatic details and word pictures into her writing.  It is also incredibly funny, but not belly laugh kind of funny, more of a quirky funny that really appeals to me (see every book Jasper Fforde ever wrote). 

Written as a first person story, Nina tells it as something that already happened.  Nina is a surprising take on vampires compared to either the lone wolf suppressing their evil or the ones who embrace it.  Nina has never really accepted herself as a vampire, somewhat because it doesn’t live up to her ideas of what it should be and because she has never really felt like a vampire.  She desperately wishes she were stronger like the character she created, Zadia Bloodstone, instead of weak and pathetic.  I love how weak and human she is, but still striving to do the right thing even with all of the things against her.  Eventually Nina decides to redefine herself, and her ideas of what a hero is.  Which is the main point of the story, taking control of your circumstances and empowering yourself. 

In the book blurb there were hints toward romance so I kind of expected it to rear its ugly head around every corner.  But in the end it was really an appropriately small part.  Also, how great is it to have a priest not vilified?  Thank you Ms. Jinks.  And one of my favorite things of all was having a satisfying conclusion to the story.

Frankly, I heart it!

Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs ★★★★☆

Always just Right!

Fiction - Urban Fantasy/Mystery

340 pages

Publication Date:  March 5th 2013

Mercy Thompson #7

After a seemingly normal car accident during black Friday shopping Mercy quickly realizes that things are not normal.  Her mate, Adam, and his werewolf pack are missing and Mercy believes it might have to do with the political battle for public acceptance.  Feeling very alone and without too many options, Mercy, asks for help from anyone she can.

I have a favorite pillow and its name is “Squish”.  My husband compares it to my daughter’s silky blanket, and frankly he isn't very far off.  Squish is always just right and comfortable and that is how I feel about this series.  I always know the writing, characters and plot will be superior.  I never worry about, struggling to overcome some major deficit in order to get through one of these novels.  So far Patricia Briggs has always delivered.  I used to feel this way about Janet Evanovich, but as my regular readers know when it comes to up and downs with an author as of late it has been mostly down for me and Janet.

As always the action starts right off and instantly sweeps you up in the story.  It is a quick, compelling read, but definitely not a stand-alone book.  To be honest part of the reason this review is so short is, because I was so caught up in the twists and turns of the story I most of the time forgot my responsibilities to actually review the book and not just read it.  I liked getting to Ariana (Samuel’s mate and a fae) better and Asil, the Moor, as a newer character was very interesting.  He was a question mark through the whole thing.  His vanity and violence mixed with shrewdness added a new dynamic and freshness to the drama.  I definitely expect to see him show up again!

This book was great break from having to read books of unknown quality and I would love to own and reread it soon.

Moon Called by Patricia Briggs ★★★★☆

This book more than kept up its side of the contract.

Fiction – Urban Fantasy/Paranormal

288 pages

Publication Date:  January 1st 2006

Mercy Thompson #1

When the half-starved kid Mercy Thompson was trying to protect ends up on her front porch dead, and her next door neighbor Adam Hauptman, the local werewolf pack’s Alpha, is on the brink of death from the same attack Mercy knows she can no longer stay on the fringe of the supernatural world.  Pulled back in she is forced to return to the werewolf community, that raised her and rejected her, for help opening up old wounds that never healed properly.  

Okay to start out with the cover is a little ridiculous, but it does serve to grab your attention and as a child of the marketing age I can only fault it so much.  Please do not hold this against Moon Called, try instead to treat it as quirk of the series.

This book was easy to like and I quickly fell into the rhythm of the story from page one.  Briggs unravels this fascinating story at just the right speed to keep me interested, but not overwhelmed with detail and mythology.  I found myself pulled into Mercy’s world without really knowing when I agreed to fully enter it.  I mean I know when you start a book there is almost a contractual agreement between reader and story, but it is really so much easier when I can like something without a huge effort on my part.  The caliber of this story is higher than usual for this genre as well as the main character, Mercy.  Mercy Thompson is independent, intelligent strong, but reasonable, and not perfect.  I like the Tri-Cities as a location out of the norm, and appreciate the Washington State flavor Briggs adds to the story (whoo hoo for the Northwest, holla). 

The plot was fun to follow as well as the emotional journey, with an excellent balance between the two.  The politics between species and even within the hierarchies of the species were interesting and I can’t wait to further understand Mercy’s world.

PS  I have been reading the rest of the series and I have to say I like them more than the Sookie Stackhouse novels.  Sure it’s missing the element of horrific fun, but I personally prefer the story construction, mythology and Mercy.  Oh, and don’t worry the parade of ridiculous covers continues.

Deadlocked by Charlaine Harris ★★★★☆

A Visit with Old Friends

Fiction – Urban Fantasy/Paranormal - Mystery

327 pages

Publication Date:  May 1, 2012

Sookie Stackhouse #12

While holding a party for Vampire Kind Felipe de Castor, the dead body of a woman, Eric only minutes before fed on, appears on his front lawn.  Sookie with the help of Bill must find out what really happened and why, before Eric’s situation, and thus her’s, becomes even more precarious.

I would call this book an in-between book.  It was missing the usual amount of horrific fun and constant movement from one death situation to the next for Sookie.  Instead, it was more like catching up with your friends in Bon Temps while solving a very complicated mystery encompassing many players.  Sookie turns 28, Tara and JB have their twins, Jason and Michele get engaged, Sam finally sees Jannalynn for who she really is and we even briefly hear from Quinn.  We see the further deterioration of Sookie and Eric’s relationship and finally come to understand Dermot’s and the Fae situation.  Frankly, I really enjoyed Harris’ departure from the usual format.  I have never solely read these books for the action; I also invested in the characters.  My only real complaint was not seeing enough of Pam.  I missed her.

Book 13 is said to be the last book in the series and I feel this one nicely sets it up (perhaps for a lovely happily-ever-after with Sam, at least I hope so).

ISBN-13: 978-1937007447