Undead and Unfinished is the ninth book in MaryJanice Davidson’s highly successful vampire series. Here’s the cover blurb:

There’s only one thing Vampire Queen Betsy Taylor hates more than the threat of hosting a traditional Thanksgiving dinner (after all, how tradition is her family?), and that’s trying to get through the Book of the Dead without going insane. Every time she’s tried reading it she just gets blindsided–until this time, when the devil strikes a bargain. She offers Betsy a chance to get through the cursed (literally!) thing cover to cover and finally discovers all its mysteries. There’s just one teensy little catch.

Betsy and her half sister, Laura, have to go to Hell. Just long enough for Laura to finally embrace her dark heritage (after a rebellious youth of charity work and teaching Sunday school) and make nice with her mother, aka Lucifer, by picking up such skills as slicing through time and the universe with a hellfire sword. While such things might sound fun, time travel is proving to be an alarming journey for Betsy and Laura. Not only are they interacting firsthand with their own family’s past, but in doing to, they’re dangerously impacting the future in ways they never anticipated.

Of course that’s what Mother wanted all along. Damn her.

Betsy’s latest adventures take a serious turn in Undead and Unfinished. Betsy and Sinclair have a confusing fight with ominous overtones. She doesn’t have time too think to hard about it because Laura needs her help. Laura has decided to embrace her dark side, but on her own terms. Betsy, being a good sister agrees to go along with her to Hell and in return the devil will give her the ability to read the loathsome book of the dead. The first thing Laura has to do is master the ability to transport herself and Betsy to any time and place. As they start to move through the different doors of Hell, they quickly discover that the locations and times aren’t random. Of course, Betsy can’t help but interfere in past events and jump at the opportunity to fix past mistakes. That may end up being her biggest mistake of all when she finally gets a glimpse of a terrible future.

For the most part I really enjoyed Undead and Unfinished mainly because we finally get some backstory on Sinclair. But, the epilogue just freaked me out. MJD has proven that she has no problem killing off her characters (Garrett and Antonia) and putting them through some pretty bad stuff. In the past, however, her trademark humor and Betsy’s snark usually lighten things up when it gets too dark. Not in this case. The ending left me shocked and stunned and I’m really hoping that somehow things will turn out alright. If you’re a fan of the series, you may want to wait for the paperback or borrow it from the library. Even better, wait until the next book is out and read them together.

Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Berkley Hardcover
Release Date: July 6, 2010
ISBN-10: 0425234355
ISBN-13: 978-0425234358

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MaryJanice Davidson: Undead and Unfinished

Twice Bitten is the third book in the Chicagoland Vampire series. Here’s the cover blurb:

Merit, Chicago’s newest vampire, is learning how to play well with others. Other supernaturals, that is. Shapeshifters from across the country are convening in the Windy City, and as a gesture of peace, Master Vampire Ethan Sullivan has offered their leader a very special bodyguard: Merit. Merit is supposed to protect the Alpha, Gabriel Keene—and to spy for the vamps while she’s at it. Oh, and luckily Ethan’s offering some steamy, one-on-one combat training sessions to help her prepare for the mission.

Merit must accept the assignment, even though she knows that she’ll probably regret it. And she’s not wrong. Someone is gunning for Gabriel Keene, and Merit soon finds herself in the line of fire. She’ll need all the help she can get to track down the would-be assassin, but everywhere she turns, there are rising tensions between supernaturals—not least between her and a certain green-eyed, centuries old master vampire.

This is definitely one of my new favorites vampire series. I’ve loved all three books so far. Merit is such a cool heroine, she is utterly unpredictable in a completely good way. She’s not the cardboard cutout urban fantasy chick who is tough, ballsy and doesn’t need anyone. That’s not to say she isn’t tough, she regularly tries to kick the ass of her Master and love interest, Ethan. She is skilled and smart but she doesn’t pretend that her feelings don’t get hurt or that she doesn’t want to be loved. Her vulnerability makes her a much more well-rounded character, as do her faults.

In Twice Bitten we enter the world of shapeshifters and how they fit into the supernatural community and their relationship with the vampires. Merit has to walk the line between two groups that have a lot of antagonism and history between them. She’s in a position to play an instrumental role in bringing them together. Merit is also offered the opportunity to work for the greater good of vampires but it could end up as a betrayal to Ethan. On another front, things also take a long awaited and totally hot, turn for the better between Merit and Ethan. They have a lot of centuries to bridge but I think it will be fun to see how they get there. The Chicagoland Vampire series is one I would definitely recommend.

To read a chapter of Twice Bitten, click here to visit Chloe Neill’s website: http://www.chloeneill.com/merit3.htm

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Chloe Neill: Twice Bitten, A Chicagoland Vampire Novel

Insatiable is the first book in a new vampire series by Meg Cabot. Spoilers will ensue, so be forewarned. Here’s the cover blurb:

Sick of hearing about vampires? So is Meena Harper. But her bosses are making her write about them anyway, even though Meena doesn’t believe in them. Not that Meena isn’t familiar with the supernatural. See, Meena Harper knows how you’re going to die. (Not that you’re going to believe her. No one ever does.) But not even Meena’s precognition can’t prepare her for what happens when she meets–then makes the mistake of falling in love with–Lucien Antonescu, a modern-day prince with a bit of a dark side. It’s a dark side a lot of people, like an ancient society of vampire hunters, would prefer to see him dead for. The problem is, Lucien’s already dead. Maybe that’s why he’s the first guy Meena’s ever met whom she could see herself having a future with. See, while Meena’s always been able to see everyone else’s future, she’s never been able to look into her own. And while Lucien seems like everything Meena has every dreamed of in a boyfriend, he might turn out to be more like a nightmare. Now might be a good time for Meena to start learning to predict her own future…If she even has one.

I was a little surprised when I received this book because I associate Meg Cabot with the genre of teen chic-lit books. It made more sense to me after seeing on her website that she considers it more “girl gothic” than paranormal, though Meena is definitely an adult and not a girl. Cabot says she’s “not wild about vampires” and that they are a tradition rather than a trend. I agree with the tradition part to a certain extent, vampires have long fascinated us in books and movies, but it makes me wonder a bit that the impetus for this book may have been that vampires are “cool” now, especially with her teen audience. I’m also not sure either that I understand why Meena Harper has a similar name to Mina Harker (one of the central characters in Dracula). I think she accomplished her goal of bringing back the strong heroine but I’m not so sure about a confident one. Meena is an odd character and frankly, I don’t understand her decisions at all. She goes from being threatened by a cold-blooded killer, to thinking seriously about joining his organization’s ridiculous genocidal rampage against vampires. Wait, what? I though she loved a vampire? I suppose using her “gift” to keep these psychos alive is more important than being with the man she loves. Hmmm.

Lucien Antonescu starts out as an interesting character. He’s smart, he’s sexy, he’s powerful, and he seems like the antithesis of his father. He rules vampires with a fair but firm hand and he looks good while doing it. He devolves a bit (by the end of the book) into a more two dimensional character whose motivations are quite murky. Is he a good guy? Is he a bad guy? Meena apparently doesn’t know. And, borrowing a page from the common romance trope, she makes giant assumptions, runs away and doesn’t try to actually communicate with him. I don’t really need a happy ending in a book but this one completely left me hanging and slightly confused. Cabot mentions that she was into the Buffy the Vampire Slayer so I suppose she thinks there needs to be a conflict to separate the two lovers like with Buffy and Angel. This conflict however, seems much more manufactured. In the end I really am not that interested in seeing how this story goes but who knows, maybe it will get better in the next book.

If you’d like to know more about Insatiable and read an excerpt, you can visit the author’s website: http://www.megcabot.com/insatiable/#

Release Date: June 8, 2010
ISBN-10: 006173506X
ISBN-13: 978-0061735066

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Meg Cabot: Insatiable

Here’s the cover blurb:

The music came back up and the next group of little girls, slightly older, came out. There was a lot of that in the next hour and change. I liked dance, and it was no reflection on the kids, but my will to live began to seep away on about the fifth group of sequined children…

Anita Blake is back in St. Louis and trying to live a normal life-as normal as possible for someone who is a legal vampire executioner and a U. S. Marshal. There are lovers, friends and their children, school programs to attend. In the midst of all the ordinary happiness a vampire from Anita’s past reaches out. She was supposed to be dead, killed in an explosion, but the Mother of All Darkness is the first vampire, their dark creator. It’s hard to kill a god. This dark goddess has reached out to her here-in St. Louis, home of everyone Anita loves most. The Mother of All Darkness has decided she has to act now or never, to control Anita, and all the vampires in America.

The Mother of All Darkness believes that the triumvirate created by master vampire Jean-Claude with Anita and the werewolf Richard Zeeman has enough power for her to regain a body and to immigrate to the New World. But the body she wants to possess is already taken. Anita is about to learn a whole new meaning to sharing her body, one that has nothing to do with the bedroom. And if the Mother of All Darkness can’t succeed in taking over Anita’s body for herself, she means to see that no one else has the use of it, ever again. Even Belle Morte, not always a friend to Anita, has sent word: “Run if you can…”

In Bullet, the tigers and lions take center stage. As in the previous books, the tigers are willing to ally themselves with the St. Louis triumvirate to gain power and to restore themselves to their former glory. The lions, however aren’t so smart and a major misstep by blue-haired Haven pushes Anita too far. She also receives a timely warning from the lion assassins she rolled in Flirt that a big time hit has been put out on Anita, Richard and Jean Claude. I’m interested to see where things go with the tigers including the powerful new black tiger, Jade. Of course, complicating matter further is the Harlequin. the killers feared by all vampires (aka They Who Shall Not Be Named).

Finally, finally an Anita Blake novel that I actually enjoyed! It seems like I’ve waited for so long for Anita to come back to her old self. The ardeur is waning at last and even though she’ll never be the person she was (personal growth and all that), we finally get some good story and hallelujah, Jean Claude is back in the frame. Also, in a stunning reversal, Richard Zeeman has finally decided to get with the program and stop being such a self-righteous prig. I had such hope for this series to come back to itself and it’s like all my prayers have been answered. Okay, not quite but pretty close. The sex scenes were even somewhat sexy again instead of the mostly screaming and clawing power plays they have been. Some little kids get tossed into the story for Anita to reiterate that motherhood is not for her, which we already knew. Overall I was really happy with this book. I got to see more of Jean Claude, Richard, and Anita even got to do a little U.S. Marshalling at a distance. Thank you LKH for an Anita book that I’m actually considering reading again.

Click here to read an excerpt.

Publisher: Berkley Hardcover
Release Date: June 1, 2010
ISBN-10: 0425234339
ISBN-13: 978-0425234334

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Laurell K. Hamilton: Bullet

To celebrate this exciting news, Regal Literary is giving away 10 free paperback copies of Fangland. Enter below to win!

www.regal-literary.com/winfangland

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Fangland Giveaway

Rain Lashed

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Free Kyndred Novella from Lynn Viehl

You’re invited to join author Patricia Briggs for a 1 hour online chat at the Penguin Water Cooler on Wednesday, May 12th at 8 PM EST.

Come ask Patricia questions about her latest bestseller in the Mercedes Thompson series, Silver Borne.

This chat is open to everyone so please feel free to invite other fans and readers.

To register in advance, or join the chat in progress, visit:

http://us.penguingroup.com/static/pages/publishersoffice/subcontent/watercooler.html

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Chat with Patricia Briggs

Dead in the Family is the tenth book in the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris. Here’s the cover blurb:

A Fae War has left the supernatural community of Bon Temps, Louisiana, in chaos–and waitress Sookie Stackhouse mentally and physically drained. And still, the peace and quiet she so desperately craves is hard to come by…

Even with the blood of two vampires in her system, Sookie is having trouble healing from the terrible torture she endured at the hands of her great-grandfather’s enemies during the brief but deadly Fae War. Worse are the emotional wounds–especially over the loss of her own personal fairy godmother and the near death of her first love.

Sookie is hurt and she’s mad. Just about the only bright spot in her life–besides the fact that she is after still alive–is the love she thinks she feels for vampire Eric Northman, who is under scrutiny by the new vampire king because of their relationship.

As the political implications of the shifters’ coming-out are beginning to be felt, Sookie’s connection to one particular Were draws her into the dangerous debate. And, unknown to her, though the doors to Faery have been closed, there are still some fae on the human side–and one of them is angry at Sookie. Very, very angry.

The title of this book is perfect because the story deals with the theme of family in just about every way. Sookie and Bill are both recovering from serious injuries received in the fae war. Bill is suffering still from silver poisoning and Sookie wants to help him. He needs blood from a family member, so Sookie tracks down his sister and finds out a whole new chapter of Bill’s history. Sam is still dealing with the fallout of his family learning that he and his mother are shifters. Eric is finding out that his new vampire “family” is not so benevolent but he’s really in for a surprise when his maker comes to visit with a famous historical figure who has a little problem with murdering humans. Sookie has never had much family and she’s more grateful than ever for those who are left. She never expected however, to be roommates with her cousin Claude the stripper. Family can come in many different forms, but sometimes the best family is the one you choose.

The best thing about the Sookie series is that they defy categorization. More than anything they are an adventure but also mystery, romance and for sure action. Sookie’s life has been for a while but is getting every more f*d up. The poor girl has been through so much crap she really is kind of numb to the violence around her. Her practicality seems to be the thing that gets her through each day even when she has to kill someone to save her own life. It’s balanced out somewhat by her friendships, her love for Eric, and some quality time with her little telepathic cousin Hunter. This was a well told, enjoyable story with some definite twists. Fans of the series will definitely want to read about Sookie’s latest adventure.

Release Date: May 4, 2010
ISBN-10: 0441018645
ISBN-13: 978-0441018642

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Charlaine Harris: Dead in the Family

Warning: there’s no way to avoid spoilers here so read on at your own risk. I’ll try to keep some of the interesting stuff a surprise. I’ve always wondered why series books don’t have a synopsis of what happened in the last book. Sometimes if it’s been a while I can’t quite remember where the story left off. So, in that spirit, here’s what happened in the last episode of the Black Dagger Brotherhood, Lover Avenged. Xhex was kidnapped by Lash, son of the Omega when the BDB invaded the sympath colony. Xhex and John Matthew had a few “encounters” that didn’t end so well. Xhex did her best to kill any feelings that John had for her, but luckily did not quite succeed. Rehvenge has ended his reign as drug lord and nightclub owner by faking his own death and moving into the BDB compound with his woman Ehlena. Wrath, the king, has taken up daily sparring sessions with Payne, Vishous’s ass kicking sister and daughter of the Scribe Virgin. Last but not least, Lash is trying to take Rehvenge’s place as Caldwell’s newest drug lord with the help of the Lessening Society. And that’s basically the highlights…

Now, for the cover blurb of Lover Mine:

In the darkest corners of the night in Caldwell, New York, a conflict like no other rages. Long divided as a terrifying battleground for the vampires and their enemies, the city is home to a band of brothers born to defend their race: the warrior vampires of the Black Dagger Brotherhood.

John Matthew has come a long way since he was found living among humans, his vampire nature unknown to himself and to those around him. After he was taken in by the Brotherhood, no one could guess what his true history was- or his true identity. Indeed, the fallen Brother Darius has returned, but with a different face and a very different destiny. As a vicious personal vendetta takes John into the heart of the war, he will need to call up on both who he is now and who he once was in order to face off against evil incarnate.

Xhex, a symphath assassin, has long steeled herself against the attraction between her and John Matthew. Having already lost one lover to madness, she will not allow the male of worth to fall prey to the darkness of her twisted life. When fate intervenes, however, the two discover that love, like destiny, is inevitable between soul mates.

John Matthew has been a part of most of the Black Dagger Brotherhood books and he finally gets one dedicated to him and his happy ending with Xhex. You knew that was coming right? Of course you did. He’s grown up fast in a lot of ways, including physically and emotionally. There weren’t a whole lot of surprises with him and Xhex, what I found more interesting was the development of Blay and his unrequited love for Qhuinn. Blay finally reaches his limit of the self-torture and something has gotta give.

There were several subplots intertwined as usual, including one involving John’s father, Darius and flashbacks to the 1600’s which give some more background on John’s adoptive father Tohr. There’s another involving the producer and host of a ghost hunter TV show that’s pretty confusing (and frankly, distracting) until the end. The common thread throughout the plots is Xhex and in true J.R. Ward fashion, she leaves a lot of story threads to pick up in future books. Overall, I thought Lover Mine was pretty delicious. John Matthew finally got some love and there’s plenty more to discover in this fascinating world of the Brotherhood.

Release Date: April 27, 2010
ISBN-10: 0451229851
ISBN-13: 978-0451229854

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J.R. Ward: Lover Mine

SmartPop has an interesting essay on language and writing about sex, vampires and the Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series. You can read it online at the SmartPop site.

Catch it fast because it will only be up for a week.

Cheers,
Vicky

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Sex and Vampires