Have Mercy on Me!

Moon Called is the first novel in the series written by Patricia Briggs and starring Mercedes Thompson, a skinwalker or shapeshifter who can shift into a coyote and back again, at will. Mercedes is a very interesting woman--she is an auto mechanic who is friends with vampires, demons, werewolves, fae and many other supernatural creatures. Mercedes "Mercy" Thompson was raised by a tribe of werewolves because her parents weren't sure what to do with her. She learned much about werewolves, but perfers to exist on her own, not following any pack rules or rituals. When a newly formed werewolf stumbles into Mercy's garage, looking for food and a place to sleep, Mercy knows she has to contact the local werewolf pack to assist the lone wolf in adjusting to his new life. When Mercy finds the new wolf dead on her doorstep and Adam, the leader of the werewolf pack seriously injured and his daughter missing, she commits herself to finding the truth. Complicating the issue is the fact that Adam is half in love with Mercy and Mercy has to re-visit the pack who raised her to figure out the truth. This is a great supernatural mystery story with a very strong female heroine. Mercy is definitely a "lone wolf" who has to work hard at letting people in. I especially enjoyed watching how Mercy revels in her "coyote nature" and is as much at one with her animal form as she is with her coyote form. If you like this book, try also reading the Otherworld series written by Yasmine Galenorn. The first book in the series is Witchling and the series stars the D'Artigo sisters--one is a witch, one is a changeling and one is a vampire. If you'd like to learn more information about Patricia Briggs, check out her web site at http://www.patriciabriggs.com/

Mmmmm....Pie....

On a cold wintry day, there is nothing better to eat than a nice, hot, piece of pie! I must admit, the thing that attracted me the most to this book was its beautiful cover image of a piece of apple pie, drippping with cinnamon between a flaky, sugary crust...are you hungry yet? Julie Hasson's The Complete Book of Pies is as delicious as it looks. This book contains 200 recipes for pies, ranging from sweet to savory and the recipes I've tried have all turned out wonderfully. The book includes basic pie recipes as well as directions on how to "correct" any baking issues you have, and many recipes for different types of crusts. My favorite recipe in this book was the "Steak and Mushroom Pie"--instead of the cubed beef sirloin the recipe called for, I used deer tenderloin, and the resulting pie was so delicious that even an 8 year old who doesn't like deer meat ate it! The book also includes recipes for different pie fillings as well as for the perfect food that complements sweet pies, ice cream. The recipe directions are easy to follow, simply written and include tips on the side of each one. There are also lots of beautiful, full color images of the recipes in the book. Every cook will enjoy this book, from the novice pie maker to the veteran baker. Go ahead and slice up your own piece of pie!

Explore "The Scarpetta Factor!"

If you've ever had a conversation with me about books, for more than five minutes, you will probably hear me talk about author Patricia Cornwell's character, Kay Scarpetta. I remember the first time I began reading her books, and from the first one, I've been hooked! Dr. Kay Scarpetta is the former Chief Medical Examiner for the state of Virginia, and in her latest book, The Scarpetta Factor, she is living in New York City and is the senior forensic analyst for CNN as well as someone who offers her services pro bono to New York City's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Dr. Scarpetta is famous--she has solved many serial killer cases and her television appearances have helped to make her face and name known throughout many states. The book opens with the case of Hannah Starr, the daughter of a famous financial analyst, who has disappeared and is presumed dead. Embroiled in the mix is the meaderings of a former psychiatric patient of her husband, Benton Wesley, and an association her niece, Lucy, has had with several people involved in the case. This book has everything a Kay Scarpetta fan can ask for--detailed descriptions of fascinating forensic techniques, interactions between the beloved members of Scarpetta's friends and family, and wonderful Italian recipes that you can almost smell when you read about them. Dr. Kay Scarpetta is a tough heroine, who always seems to skate through danger, barely escaping its clutches. If you are a big fan of gritty, sometimes gory, fast-paced forensic mysteries, then this book is for you! Try one out and let us know if you like it.

A Dash of Rosemary and Rue

Seanan McGuire begins her October "Toby"Daye series with a bang! Rosemary and Rue is a tense, involved urban fantasy suspense story filled with all sorts of creatures, human and fae. October Daye is a half-human changeling and former private investigator. The premise of the story is that the Faerie world did not disappear but went into hiding and continues to exist parallel to our Earth world. When the Fae and Earth worlds collided, changelings were born. Half-humand and half-fae, these creatures are outsiders from birth and fend their lives fighting for the respect of their immortal pureblood relatives. Toby has spent her whole life trying to fit into either the human or faerie world and has failed in relating to either one. She wakes up from a fourteen year old curse spent as a fish, and retreats into the "normal" human world, giving up all her friends, relatives and her private investigator business. The murder of Countess Evening Winterrose, one of the secret regents of the San Francisco Bay area pulls Toby back into the fae world. Right before her death, Evening binds Toby with a curse and she is forced to investigate and find Evening's killer or risk death herself. This is a great book, full of mystery and a great story. Most of the story is spent setting up the history of the series, but it is worth it to read the story. Toby is a tough heroine with a stubborn streak and armor she wears to hide her self from everyone else. This book is the first in the October Daye series and I know that I am looking forward to reading more about this character.